


A Tale of Two Rejects

by gwenleewrites



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Adrinette, Balcony Scene, Dorks, F/M, Falling In Love, Fluff, Friends to Lovers, LadyNoir - Freeform, Marichat, Marichat May, Marichat May 2018, Miraculous Ladybug - Freeform, Romance, back and forth, fluff with plot, prompts, puns, sin - Freeform, slow burn kind of, they are both equally stupid, unplanned kisses
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-01
Updated: 2019-04-19
Packaged: 2019-04-24 21:48:57
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 31
Words: 24,370
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14364399
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/gwenleewrites/pseuds/gwenleewrites
Summary: He lets out a breath she didn’t realize he was holding. ”I was too embarrassed, but if you don’t want me coming here anymore, I’ll stop.”And then, she’s looking directly into his eyes, blue meeting green in a stare so strong he feels the thrum of his heart against his chest.Marinette shakes her head. “Of course I want you here, you stupid, mangy cat.”





	1. “You’re injured, please stay the night. Please.”

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Chat first visits Marinette for her help with his injuries, and their friendly relationship starts off a little awkward.

She swipes the cloth gently across his face, careful not to apply too much pressure to the noticeable gash running from his cheekbone down to his jawline. The fabric in her hand is stained red, and Marinette can’t help the frown that pulls her lips downward.

”That was dumb,” she scolds, pulling the rag away. Her forehead creases in concern, and Chat Noir can’t seem to meet her gaze. 

“I guess cats don’t always land on their feet, huh?” Chat lets out a weak laugh, in some sort of attempt to lighten the mood.

But, Marinette is not amused. Her frown turns into a scowl, and the narrowed slits that are her eyes send him a dangerous message. 

“This isn’t funny,” she snaps.

His ears droop. “I didn’t mean—“

”You were reckless,” Marinette seethes, “and I thought you were smarter than that.”

What she says comes out harsher than she means for it to, and the truth is she’s scared. But, for some reason she can’t admit it to him without anger pouring through.

Chat looks hurt, and it makes Marinette realize that she’s just insulted his intelligence. Her expression softens, but his hardens. 

“Sorry to disappoint you,” he grits out, “but I take my responsibility of being a superhero, very seriously.”

It takes everything in her to hold her tongue. 

Chat scoffs. “You told me I could come by anytime I needed help, without any judgement from you.”

That had been true.

Weeks earlier, Chat had stumbled onto her balcony with a bloody nose and a damaged ego. Without any questions she quickly grabbed her first aid kit, rushing out to help him in any way she could.

Chat was visibly embarrassed, reluctant to tell her that he’d been trying to go on patrol without Ladybug in order to help his partner out. He’d told her that he got into a fight with thugs he’d run into, and that he managed to stop them with the price of a bloody nose. Marinette had simply nodded, telling him she was glad he was okay.

Before he left, Marinette had told him he could come by whenever he needed to be fixed up, and that she would never judge him for it. Since then he’s been coming back with some minor bruises and cuts.

But, this time, he comes with a large gash on his cheek. And Marinette is horrified to see his swollen face and bloody lip. When she asks what had happened, he mumbles out his story about a middle aged man with a knife, much to her dismay.

“This isn’t judgement,” she argues.

He spares her a look of doubt. 

Marinette feels herself losing her grip on the sanity she’s trying to hold on to. His words are getting to her, and she’s afraid one of them is going to say something they’ll both regret. 

”Listen Princess,” he sighs, looking a little calmer than before. “I’m sorry about getting angry, but you don’t need to worry, it’s not that big of a deal.”

”Chat he _literally_ cut you!” Marinette shouts, revealing just how concerned she really is. She really tries to be understanding, but every time he comes back injured she feels her resolve breaking down. 

“I’m fine—“

She explodes. ”What if you weren’t?!” 

The leather-clad superhero looks away guiltily, because she’s right. He doesn’t know how to respond, since he has no answer that could guarantee his safety. 

“I didn’t realize,” Chat starts, “that you cared so much. About me.”

The anger piling up in both of them seems to fizzle out with each second of silence that passes through.

Suddenly, Marinette feels scared. ”Don’t you know that there are so many people who care about you?”

Chat Noir blinks. 

The young girl glances down. “You should’ve called Ladybug.”

He lets out a breath she didn’t realize he was holding. ”I was too embarrassed, but if you don’t want me coming here anymore, I’ll stop.”

And then, she’s looking directly into his eyes, blue meeting green in a stare so strong she feels the thrum of her heart against her chest. 

Marinette shakes her head. “Of course I want you here, you _stupid, mangy_ cat.”

Said cat looks ashamed, as if he’s sad that he’s made her worry this much. And though she seems mad, all Marinette really wants to do is wrap him in a big hug. Marinette and Chat have grown to become friends over the past few weeks, and of course she’s going to be concerned if she knows he has a knife pulled on him. Especially without her there to help. 

The reality is that she’s his partner, and his friend. Marinette feels as if he’s twice as important in her life because of that. And she can’t explain how afraid she really is, since she’s not really sure of it herself. But, there’s an odd feeling in the pit of her stomach that she chooses to ignore for now.

”I think I’ve burdened you too much,” he whispers, getting up off the floor of her balcony, as if he’s going to leave. The designer takes note of the way he winces in pain when he stands. 

“You can stay,” Marinette tells him.

”I don’t know if I should,” he says back.

She stays still for a moment, knowing that she doesn’t want him to go. Then, he turns away from her, getting closer to the railing.

Marinette’s body reacts faster than her mouth when she rushes forward to wrap her arms around his midsection. She hears his sharp intake of breath when she hugs him, and his entire body is stiff under her embrace. 

Marinette presses her forehead against his back. “You’re injured, please stay the night. Please.” 

She knows her words sound desperate, but that’s really how she feels, and it’s enough to make her beg. 

“... okay,” he finally replies.

Marinette pulls her arms away, glad to know that he isn’t leaving with things the way they are. After a moment of silence, Marinette begins walking towards her trapdoor, with him following behind. 

He’s been inside her room before, so it’s easy enough for him to drop inside and clamber over to her chaise. The few times he does go inside, that’s his normal spot within her room. 

Awkwardly, she brings him a blanket, and he’s running his palm lightly against the gash on his cheek. 

Marinette tentatively reaches a hand out to trace her fingertip over it, and he stills under her touch. Chat gulps, his claws nervously digging into his palms. 

“It should heal soon,” she murmurs, “hopefully it won’t scar.”

”I thought girls liked scars,” he jokes, and she lets out a snort. 

Marinette pulls her hand away with a blush. “I’d rather have you alive and well, kitty.”

And when he looks up at her, green eyes seemingly brighter with the contrast of his mask, she feels oddly warm. 

Not liking the heat, Marinette looks away, bidding him a quiet goodnight. 

“Goodnight Marinette,” Chat responds, and she swears she can feel butterflies in her stomach. The baker’s daughter has a feeling that their previous conversation isn’t quite over yet, at least on her end, but she climbs into bed feeling different. 

Different about herself, and about the boy sound asleep in her room.


	2. “Can I pick, Princess?”

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Marinette is starting to realize that she enjoys Chat’s company a lot more than she thought.

It’s been three days since Chat Noir spent the night in her room. 

Three days since she realized how much she cared about his wellbeing, three days since she woke up to see a note that said ‘thank you’ and ‘see you next time’, and three days since Chat has even come to visit her. 

Marinette doesn’t want to admit it, but a part of her is actually... missing him.

Of course she’s been out as Ladybug, trying her best to make sure he didn’t go out on his lone patrols anymore, but there was something off about his behavior. 

Less flirting, less grins, and less of whatever it was that made Chat himself.

She’d wanted to ask him what was wrong as Ladybug, but her fear of getting too deep into their personal lives was what ultimately stopped her from taking the plunge. She wonders why he doesn’t go see Marinette, like he used to do occasionally when something was bothering him. 

Unless, her civilian self _is_  the problem.

Marinette’s head starts to hurt.

In an attempt to clear her mind, the young girl climbs out onto her balcony, with the intention of watering her plants. But her cozy little section just reminds her of Chat even more.

Marinette sighs, placing an elbow onto the railing before leaning onto the palm of her hand.

“I don’t know if I’m mad at Chat, or if I just really miss him,” she murmurs to herself. 

”Can I pick, Princess?” 

Marinette jumps. “What the _hell_ , Chat?!”

There stands Chat Noir, in all his glory, with a sheepish grin on his face. 

“Sorry,” he mumbles, “I didn’t mean to startle you.”

Marinette folds her arms over her chest. “Well, you did.”

She notices his innocent look and small frown, and her anger dissipates almost immediately. It’s hard to stay mad at someone who’s genuinely a nice guy.

”But, it’s okay,” Marinette assures him, “I’m just a little jumpy.”

Chat’s face brightens, much to Marinette’s delight, and she has to look away to hide the grin spreading on her features. 

“What did you want to pick?” Marinette asks, remembering what he had first said when he showed up. 

“Uh, you said that you didn’t know whether or not you were mad at me or if you just missed me,” he explains. “I would like to pick which one of those is, um, correct.”

The young designer laughs, because sometimes her partner is just too adorable for words. He blushes under the black of his mask, and she tries to spare him further embarrassment. 

She clears her throat to stop her giggles. “And which one were you going to choose?”

A slick smirk shows up on his face, and she almost thinks she hears him purr. 

Chat shoots her a wink. “It’s _purrfectly_ obvious that I was going to say you missed me a _pawful_ lot.”

”I think you’re right,” she admits, and he looks surprised by her answer. 

Marinette walks towards him, and extends her hand to playfully ruffle his hair. He closes his eyes and leans into her touch, smiling in satisfaction.

”Sorry for staying away so long,” Chat murmurs in a daze, relaxing under her ministrations.

“It’s okay,” she tells him, “just don’t make me miss you too much, Minou.”

He stops her hand for a moment, staring at her with something that almost looks like affection in his dazzling green eyes. 

His lips curl up into a warm smile. “Never again, Princess.”

And Marinette giggles in reply.


	3. Adopted Cat

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Marinette’s parents get her a cat, and they think it’s just hilarious. She does not.

“Where is it?” Marinette squeals, bursting through the door of the bakery to see her parents behind the cash register. 

They look at her with a knowing smile, and she doesn’t even try to hide the excitement she feels. When her parents had told her they’d gotten a cat, she’d been staying after school to get some studying done.

But, books were forgotten and homework was neglected the minute she found out what was waiting for her at home. 

“He’s upstairs,” her father grins.

Her parents look slightly suspicious, but her pure giddiness is enough to make her a little less perceptive to these things.

With another squeal, she bolts up the stairs, feet pounding on each step. And Marinette nearly trips over herself when she gets to the top and screeches to a halt. 

Ever since she was little she’d always wanted a pet, but it never felt like it would happen given her mother’s allergies, and her father’s dislike of shedding fur. 

So she can’t believe this moment is here and real and hers.

Her eyes scan the room, looking for any sign of a tail and ears and fur. But she’s disappointed when all she sees is Chat Noir perched on her couch, sipping casually from a familiar mug. 

It takes her a minute to process what she’s seen. 

“Chat Noir?!” Marinette yelps, jumping back like he’s some sort of disgusting creature.

He takes one long sip from his mug, before giving her a little wave. “Welcome home, Princess.”

”My parents told me they adopted a _cat_ ,” she states matter-of-factly. “You, Chat Noir, are a _boy_.”

The sound of footsteps draws her attention, and she sees her parents emerge from the stairs. Immediately they rush over to their new “cat”. 

“Isn’t he just the cutest?” Marinette hears her mother say, scratching the underside of his chin. 

“Thank you, Mrs. Cheng,” Chat responds. 

“Please,” the woman insists, “call me Sabine.” 

Marinette gapes. 

“And he doesn’t shed,” Tom pipes in, standing proudly next to the cat boy in their living room. 

“T-This is Chat Noir, hero of Paris, and you guys just, just went and  _adopted_ him?” Marinette sputters, in shock at what is happening. 

Sabine frowns teasingly at her daughter. “Honey, you’ve always wanted a cat.”

”He’s not an actual cat!” 

“Oh,” Chat breathes, “I’m out of hot chocolate.”

Sabine grabs his mug. “Don’t worry dear, there’s more downstairs.” 

The baker’s wife heads down the steps and disappears from view.

Marinette groans, folding her arms angrily across her chest. She’d been expecting a real cat. One she could hug and pet and say cute words to. One that she needed to feed and take care of and give attention to. 

She supposes she could technically hug chat, and pet him, and say cute words to him. She could feed him, take care of him, and she already gives him too much attention. 

“Oh my god,” Marinette whispers. “Chat, you really are like a cat.”

The superhero coughs. “Wait, what?”

Tom blinks. “What did you say, honey?”

The baker’s daughter bursts out laughing, rushing over to scratch behind Chat’s ears. Her touch makes him blush, and her actions leaves both men confused. A mischievous look appears in her dangerously blue eyes. 

“Thanks for the cat, Papa,” Marinette sighs, ignoring the stares of the other people in the room. “He’s perfect for me.”

”Uh,” Tom coughs, “we were just kidding, sweetie.”

His statement goes ignored. 

“Who’s a good kitty?” Marinette cooes.

Chat, in a haze as she continues to find his favorite spots, can do nothing but say what she wants to hear. 

“I am,” he purrs, and Tom looks upon the two with an awkward stare. What started as a joke begins to turn into something that makes Tom worry about his dauhter’s mental state. 

“Sabine,” the baker calls, “something’s wrong with Marinette!”

”Nothing’s wrong,” his daughter argues, “I’m just really happy we have a cat now.”

Her father’s eye twitches, and she smirks to herself. Then, something in her decides to mess with her dad just a little bit, given that he thought bringing Chat Noir into their home was so darn funny. 

“And,” Marinette begins, “since he’s also a boy, I can do _much_ more with him than I could with a regular cat.”

She nonchalantly adds another blow. “I think he’ll sleep with me in my bed.”

Her father looks irritated and horrified all at once. Chat freezes, turning beet red while she continues to bat her eyelashes innocently at her father. 

“Sabine!” Tom yells. “We’re getting rid of the cat!”

Needless to say, they did not keep the cat.


	4. Croissant Murder

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Chat Noir is deprived of his sweets, and the cat almost lets something out of the bag.

She’s standing behind the cash register when he barrels his way inside. 

His body trembles, and he manages to bring a shaky finger straight up to point at Marinette. 

Chat breathes heavily. “It’s been two months since I last ate something sweet, and I would _murder_ for a croissant. Help me, Princess.”

Marinette eyes him skeptically, and he takes a ragged breath before trudging closer to where she stands. 

“I’ve been deprived, and I don’t know how much longer I can-“

There’s a croissant in his hands before he can even finish his sentence. 

Chat Noir blinks. 

“Wait, that’s it?”

Marinette snorts. “You’re such a drama queen, kitty.” 

His eyes widen in surprise, and Marinette rolls her eyes at his theatrical display of desperation. She knows he likes to make a production out of things, but this time was just downright silly. 

“You wanted a croissant,” she says, “and I gave you one, so eat it.”

”I had a whole speech planned out and everything though,” he whines, “I didn’t know you were going to-mmph!”

She shoves the croissant in his mouth. 

“Eat it, Chat,” Marinette commands, his cheeks stuffed with the pastry in his mouth. 

Quickly he chews, looking ridiculous as he engulfs the whole thing in his mouth. Marinette fails to stifle the laughter that spills out of her. When he finishes chewing and swallowing, Chat lets out a loud burp that he apologizes for with a tinge in his cheeks. 

“Jeez, Princess,” he coughs, “I thought you were going to play along with me at least a little bit.”

Marinette looks a little guilty when he says that, and for once she decides to give him a little fun. Slowly, she pulls another croissant out of the glass display case, holding it awkwardly in her hands.

”I offer you the greatest of apologies for your deprivation of sweets during these difficult two months,” she says dramatically, watching him smile as she does.

“Alas, fair princess, your sympathy is greatly appreciated,” the superhero croons, bending over in a bow.

Marinette has to admit it’s fun to play along sometimes. “Please, accept this humble croissant for your troubles.” 

Eagerly he snatches the flaky pastry, delicately biting off one end before scarfing down the rest of it. 

“How have you not had sweets in two months?” Marinette asks, breaking character. 

“I’m a model,” he answers.

“Huh?”

“I mean, uh, a model _citizen_ , that wants to show how _bad_ eating sweets can be for your body if you want to . . . get in shape.”

Marinette scrunches up her nose. “Really?”

”Y-Yeah,” Chat stutters.

”Yet, here you are,” the baker’s daughter teases. 

Chat Noir laughs awkwardly, shifting periodically on the balls of his feet. His behavior is suddenly odd, but for some reason, she doesn’t question him on it.

”Guess I’m just weak,” he offers. 

“That you are,” she agrees, “but if you’d actually been adopted by my parents, you’d never be hungry again.”

Chat sighs in disappointment. “Are you sure they aren’t looking for a nice house cat?”

Marinette laughs, shaking her head at the poor boy.

”Well, can’t say I didn’t try,” he jokes. “Thanks again Marinette.”

He spins on his heel, heading towards the entrance when she calls out his name. The leather clad boy turns back around to raise a questioning eyebrow at her.

”Come back, whenever you need more sweets,” Marinette tells him. “Or if you want some company.”

Chat Noir grins, giving her a two-finger salute and a nod. “Will do, Princess.”

Then he’s gone, the silence in the bakery making her feel as if he was never there to begin with. 

“Bye Chat Noir,” The young girl whispers, eyes lingering at the door. 

She won’t admit it, but she misses him already. 


	5. Yarning for You

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Chat plays with yarn. Shenanigans ensue.

It’s bright and colorful and sitting there, inviting him to come closer. The vibrant shades are drawing him in, his body unconsciously slinking towards the captivating display in front of him.

It’s yarn. 

And it’s beautiful.

Chat can’t tear his gaze away, but he can picture Marinette sitting there with knitting needles in her lap.

He reaches a claw outwards, the tip pulling a string out from the ball of yarn sitting on the carpet floor. It drags out as he pulls, looking as if it’ll never end.

The superhero keeps pulling, the string continuing to flow out of the ball and onto the ground. It’s gorgeous to him, and he wonders why yarn has never been this attractive to him as Adrien. 

Maybe, it’s the cat within him that makes him see this fascinating compilation of string in a new light. It piles in his lap, wraps around his arm, holds him in a trance that he cannot break. 

Chat doesn’t even notice when the entire ball of yarn disappears, and he’s stuck, trapped in a web of string. Immediately he snaps out of his haze, struggling to try and remove himself from his threaded prison.

”Oh my god,” he hears, “I leave for five minutes and you go and do . . . _this_?”

Chat barely registers the fact that Marinette is standing above him with a shocked look on her face.

“H-Hey,” his voice squeaks an octave higher. “You’re back.” 

“Yeah,” Marinette says, “and you look absolutely ridiculous.”

Chat smiles weakly, limbs still trapped in the yarn he regrets ever being completely mesmerized by.

”Could you help me?” Chat stops squirming, slumped in defeat. 

The teenage girl bends down, unraveling the yarn wrapped around his hands. “What were you even doing, Chaton?”

He smirks. “I was _yarning_ _fur_ _mew_.”

Marinette stops untangling the cat themed hero, standing up to walk away from his body. 

“Wait!” Chat panics. “I’m sorry, please come back!”

”No,” she groans over her shoulder, “that was horrible.”

”I’m sorry,” he repeats. 

“No you’re not,” Marinette counters, her body making its way to leave her bedroom.The helpless boy grows more worried when she starts to disappear under the trap door.

“Princess, please don’t-“

“Bye,” she calls.

Chat Noir never sets foot near yarn again.


	6. Marichat is ‘Real’

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which everyone in Paris ships Marichat. Just like we all do.

In hindsight she wishes she’d fed Tikki sooner. Although Marinette hadn’t been expecting an akuma to show up while she was studying at the library. 

“Marinette,” Tikki chirps, “I can't transform right now, I’m too hungry.”

The young girl frowns, looking down sadly at her kwami. Tikki is limp in her bag, her eyes starting to shut. 

“Don’t worry Tikki,” Marinette says, “Ill get you fed as soon as I can.”

Marinette snaps her bag shut, bursting out the door and following the screams of civilians outside. Her house is right across the street, and her eyes are zoned in on the doors with determination. 

She takes a step, ready to push forward and sprint to the bakery. 

That is, until she hears a loud crash and the next thing she sees is Chat Noir’s worried face. He picks her up before she can get a word in. 

“Don’t worry Princess, I’ll get you someplace safe.”

And she’s sad to see her home shrinking, as he happens to run in the opposite direction of her house. 

“Not that I don’t appreciate your heroic gesture,” Marinette starts, “but my house was literally _right_ there.”

Chat pulls her small body closer to his. That’s when she realizes he’s picked her up, bridal style, and as he runs and jumps across rooftops and streets, she feels oddly safe in his arms.

Her arms are wrapped around his neck, and his arm is hooked behind her knees in a way that’s comforing and secure. It’s always been a sort of, romantic position in her opinion. But she blushes, looking away from his determined face that was actually ~~attractive~~  interesting to see.

It’s not romantic right now, Marinette tells herself, because this is Chat Noir. If it had been Adrien maybe she’d feel different. So the butterflies in her stomach mean absolutely nothing. 

Chat gives her a smirk. “Well, the akuma also happened to be _right_ there.”

Marinette won’t admit she likes his attitude.

”Besides, maybe I just needed an excuse to _pick_ _up_ a cute girl,” he teases, shooting her a trademark wink.

”Oh, so you’re making jokes now?” Marinette questions, but there is pink in her cheeks and warmth in her stomach.

The superhero sets her down in front of a small cafe a couple miles from her home, and she’s relieved that she’ll be able to get some fuel for Tikki once Chat leaves. 

“Stay safe, Princess,” he tells her, bending down and clasping her hand in his. Her eyes widen when she sees him press his lips to the back of her hand for a split second. 

A small gasp comes out of her before he’s gone, leaving her frozen on the sidewalk for a good few seconds. 

She blinks. 

“Oh gosh, Tikki!”

Marinette runs into the cafe, thoughts still lingering on her cat themed partner.

 

* * *

 

”Good job, Chat Noir,” Ladybug says, giving him a celebratory high-five. 

After Tikki had gotten her fair share of cookies, the akuma battle had been a breeze, the heroes of Paris had been working together better than ever. 

But after the battle she notices that her partner keeps looking around for something. 

Or someone. 

“Lose something?” Ladybug asks, eyeing him curiously. 

Chat looks back at her, smiling sheepishly as he does. “I kind of left a civilian by that cafe over there.”

Marinette smiles behind her mask, knowing that he’s talking about her. “A civilian?”

”Yeah,” he answers, “it’s Marinette.”

Her face lights up in mock surprise, and she decides to tease him just a bit. “The cute one?”

”Uh huh,” Chat replies, before he can think about it. 

Ladybug looks genuinely interested, because she hadn’t expected him to say yes. But, it’s nice to know that he finds her somewhat attractive. 

Not that she cares.

“Ladybug and Chat Noir!” 

The pair turns to see a small group of people, ranging from teenagers to adults, running towards them with smiles on their faces. 

“Thank you so much for saving us!” A woman with dark skin and a bright smile says gratefully. 

“Of course!” Marinette says back, feeling her heart swell at the gratitude. 

“Chat Noir, where’s your girlfriend?” A teenage girl with blonde ringlets asks excitedly. 

Chat looks back at her with a confused expression. “My what?”

”Marinette Dupain-Cheng. The girl you were carrying earlier, the one you put down by the cafe.”

”Oh, Marinette?” Chat questions. “She’s not my-“

”The way you carried her was so romantic!” The teenage girl squeals, looking more invested in this than Chat. 

“We aren’t dating,” Chat says quickly.

The crowd of people groan simultaneously when he tells them the truth. Marinette is shocked to hear about this, but can’t find it in herself to say anything. 

“You should totally go out with her,” a small child pipes in, “you kissed her hand didn’t you?”

Chat struggles to find a defense for that. 

A boy their age cuts in too. “If you aren’t dating, can you get me her phone number?” 

The cat boy narrows his eyes. “No.”

”Everyone thinks you’re dating,” a man says, “it’s all over the internet.”

At this, Ladybug blanches. 

The crowd seems to have forgotten about the spotted superheroine when they whip out their phones to show Chat Noir the social media posts about his supposed girlfriend. There are tons of pictures of him carrying her across rooftops, kissing her hand, and each picture has the same caption that reads: #marichat.

”Marichat?” Chat Noir reads aloud, growing more puzzled the longer he looks at it. 

“Yeah, it’s Marinette and Chat Noir put together,” someone explains.

Chat grabs a phone from the crowd, scrolling to see more and more photos of the pair, each tagged with the exact same ship name. 

He stops scrolling to read one that’s slightly different out loud. “I want someone to look at me the same way Chat Noir looks at his girlfriend.”

Ladybug gapes. “What?”

The image is a zoomed up picture, and it appears to show Chat Noir looking down very fondly at Marinette. She hadn’t realized he’d been looking at her during the entire exchange at all. 

“Don’t you think she’s pretty?” A stranger asks.

Chat gulps. “Of course, but-“

”Is there something wrong with her?” Another civilian questions. 

“No there’s not, but that doesn’t-“

”Then why don’t you ask her out?”

He stays silent for a second, thinking hard before he opens his mouth.

“I like someone else,” Chat tells the crowd, meeting Ladybug’s eyes for a millisecond before leaving the cluster of people behind. 

“Ladybug,” a boy calls, “do you think Marinette and Chat would make a good couple?” 

Marinette herself chuckles awkwardly, feeling sorry that her partner was being thrown into a mess just for doing his job. The boy’s question makes her think though, because there really is nothing wrong with Chat, he’s just not Adrien. 

“I don’t know,” she admits, before waving goodbye and swinging away.

The whole situation seems a little awkward, she thinks, when she reaches her house and detransforms. Marinette supposed it’ll blow over at some point. 

“Marichat,” she says to herself. 

It has a nice ring to it.


	7. Mari Protects Chat

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Marinette will always protect her kitty.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I love these two

Marinette sees him before he sees her. His mouth is twisted in a frown, and he looks scared as he’s pinned down on the road. His baton is too far away from him to reach.

This has been the second akuma in one week, and Marinette is beginning to lose her patience with Hawkmoth. 

She can transform, if she finds a place to hide. But then there’s a weapon raised above her partner’s head, and her instincts kick in. 

“Chat Noir!”

Marinette’s body collides with the akuma, knocking it to the pavement while Chat scrambles to get up. She feels her palms scrape as the wind gets momentarily knocked out of her. 

“Marinette,” he whispers, in horror when she tumbles across the street. “What the _hell_ are you doing out here?”

All the young girl can do is groan as she struggles to push herself off of the ground. The akuma, who was forgotten, comes back at Chat Noir with a fire in its eyes. Marinette sees the superhero step forward, wincing in pain when he puts too much weight on his left leg. 

“No!” Marinette screams, and then she’s standing right in front of her partner, arms spread out to shield him from the any sort of attack. 

As it draws closer, Marinette grows more worried. 

“Get out of here,” Chat grits out, looking more angry at her than thankful. 

“I’m not leaving you alone,” Marinette tells him, “not when you’re hurt.”

”Ladybug is-“

”-not here right now,” she finishes.

”Princess, you can’t do this,” Chat says, softly like he’s afraid of losing her. 

“Grab your baton,” she orders, nodding towards his weapon lying on the ground a few feet away. “Then, I’ll leave.”

”Promise?”

”Promise.”

The akuma looks annoyed watching them, its anger building and threatening to hurt them if they don’t do something quick and effective. As of right now it seems to be focused on damaging the city itself rather than the heroes of Paris.

Chat grabs his baton swiftly, ignoring the pain in his leg because he has to. 

Before charging towards the akuma, he stops to say something to her. “You know the city of Paris thinks you’re my girlfriend right?”

Marinette holds back a cheeky smile. “I’ve heard.”

”You doing stuff like this is only going to give them the wrong idea,” he sighs, but there’s affection in his tone. 

“I don’t care,” she says, “your safety is always going to be my priority.”

Chat Noir gasps, smiling a little before planting a quick kiss on her forehead. Marinette blushes, forgetting about the entire situation for a second. 

“Now who’s giving people the wrong idea?” Marinette teases, and he laughs as he runs away. 

She looks fondly at his retreating figure, charging into battle.

”Oh shoot,” Marinette remembers. “The city needs a Ladybug right about now.”

And she disappears with a secretive smile.


	8. Kitty Kisses

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Chat turns Marinette’s joke around on her. She gets flustered.

She’s staring at him with a smoldering intensity, the blue hue of her eyes almost too much for his green ones to handle. 

Chat gulps when Marinette leans in closer, her gaze never leaving his as they stay locked in a sort of staring contest.

And then she brings her eyelids down, slowly and deliberately, her eyelashes fluttering as she does. Chat watches it happen in what looks like slow motion, but when she blinks back and her blue irises are brighter than before, he feels the steady thrum of his heart.

”W-What are you doing, Princess?” Chat finally asks, too nervous to question her a moment earlier.

”Shush,” she scolds, putting a finger to his lips before beginning her slow blink once again. 

When she’s done, Marinette pulls away with a sweet smile. “Thanks for your help, Chaton.”

”No problem,” he replies, “but what were you doing?”

”Giving you a kitty kiss.”

His head cocks to the side, a look of innocent confusion on his face. 

“Since you know,” Marinette gestures towards him, “you’re a _kitty_.”

Adrien freezes, before his whole face burns with a crimson shade he isn’t comfortable with. For a moment Marinette almost looks embarrassed, until she clears her throat to get his attention. 

“A kitty kiss is when you blink really slowly at someone,” the designer explains, “and I thought it’d be kind of funny to try it out on you.”

Chat raises a brow. “Because I’m a cat, but I’m not?”

She fails to hide her giggle. “Pretty much.”

A sly smirk slinks onto his face, causing the baker’s daughter to stare at him curiously. With the sudden mood shift, she’s unsure of how to act. 

“Aren’t kitty kisses a form of affection?” Chat asks, faking a dumb look. 

“Huh?”

”I’ve heard of these kitty kisses before,” he continues, “and I’m pretty sure it’s a way of saying I love you.”

”Psh,” Marinette waves the implication away. “I did it to be funny, not to confess my love for you.”

”So you do love me?”

”No!”

”But you just said-“

”Can’t you take a _joke_ , dumb cat?”

His ears twitch, an insincere frown playing at his lips. “It’s not fun to play with my feelings, Princess.”

Marinette groans. “I didn’t mean anything by it, Chat.”

”What if I said I loved you?” 

Her breath catches. “What?”

Chat looks down at the floor, before turning his head to her and leaning in close. She knits her brows, a gulp visible in her throat. 

Then he blinks slow and steady, mimicking her earlier actions with the same intensity and precision that she had too.

Chat moves his lips towards her ear. “What if I said I loved you?”

Marinette looks so vulnerable, eyes wide and shining, and chest heaving up and down with her nerves.

”I-I don’t know what-“

Chat breaks down laughing. He pulls away from her, clutching his sides and rolling in the floor. Tears form from his laughter, and Marinette looks piffed.

“I thought you hated it when people played with your feelings,” the girl huffs.

”But, it’s not like we have feelings for each other,” he counters. 

They both avoid eye contact for a moment, unspoken thoughts popping into their heads before they both dismiss the possibility of something more.

“That was still mean,” she finally snaps.

”Can’t you take a joke, Princess?” Chat Noir sends her a wink. 

“I hate you.”


	9. Belt Tail

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Marinette notices Chat’s tail a little more, and implications get involved.

It’s swishing and curling and twitching and Marinette is intrigued.

“Why does it keep moving?” 

Chat turns his head over his shoulder to look at her, shooting Marinette a quizzical look that encourages her to continue. 

“Your tail,” she elaborates, “It’s moving a lot, and I was wondering if there’s a reason for that.”

A cat-like grin appears on his face, and the glint in his eyes makes Marinette realize that he’s definitely about to tease her for something she’s unaware of. 

Chat Noir takes one step closer. “I didn’t realize you were paying so much attention to my backside, Princess.”

Her face turns as red as her superhero suit when he whispers the words calmly into the air. 

“I wasn’t!” Marinette shouts, embarrassed that he’s made that sort of implication at all. 

“In order to notice my tail, you’d have to see my b-“

”Stop!”

”-belt,” he finishes.

Marinette glares at the masked boy, her own mortification the fuel for her frustration. Chat snickers when her eyes shoot daggers into his skull.

”Whatever,” she huffs, folding her arms across her chest. “If your butt happens to be in the way-“

”So you look at my butt.”

”It’s not like I go out of my way to stare at your rear end,” Marinette argues. 

Chat smirks. “ _Butt_ you look at it anyway.”

”It’s not even that good of a butt,” she lies through her gritted teeth.

”You’d have to see it to know,” he points out quietly. 

“You’re insufferable.”

The superhero shrugs. “I like to think I’m just honest.”

”Oh?”

Chat Noir laughs a little, casually shifting his feet. “If it helps, I’ve looked at your butt before.”

Marinette blushes. Hard. 

“How would that help?” Marinette asks. “Dumb cat.”

”You do this little butt wiggle when you’re excited,” Chat explains, “and it kind of just draws my attention.”

”And you’re telling me this because?”

”I’m being honest.”

The designer clears her throat awkwardly. “Maybe you’re too honest.”

”I don’t mind if you look at mine too,” he grins, “I’d be flattered if you considered it worthy of your attention.”

Her throat goes dry. 

“Please shut up.”

”No really, it’s okay-“

Marinette reaches out to yank on his tail, dragging him towards her with so much force that Chat Noir is caught by surprise. 

The teenage girl stares him down angrily, and his cool demeanor seems to fade with a gulp. “I. Don’t. Look. At. Your. Butt.”

”O-Okay,” Chat whispers, in defeat and admission. 

“Nice talk,” her voice says sweetly, faking innocence and dripping with sarcasm. 

“I’m gonna go,” the masked boy chuckles, leaving as fast as he can, not wanting to anger his Princess anymore. 

“I hate to see him leave,” Marinette mumbles to herself, “but I love to watch him go.” 

And yes, she’s staring at his butt.


	10. Catnip

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Chat sniffs catnip. That cliche scenario is the result.

She wishes she’d done it herself, but when her parents had called her name and Chat pleaded to let him do it for her, she couldn’t resist his kitten eyes. 

All Marinette had done, was tell him to water her plants, an innocent task that put her in a not-so-innocent situation. 

She didn’t remember the newest plant she’d put among her older ones. She didn’t remember that Chat Noir was too much of a cat for his own good. And she didn’t remember that his curiosity was what got him in constant trouble. 

Marinette of course, remembered all of that when she climbed through her trap door to join him. When her parents no longer required her services she rushed upstairs, but she wasn’t expecting to see Chat Noir’s face buried in a green leafy plant that she had recently purchased.

”No!” Marinette shouts, but it’s too late. The damage is done. 

When the masked teenager pulls away from the plant, his pupils are blown wide, and his mouth hangs open like a fish. 

“That’s catnip,” she mutters to herself, smacking her forehead in frustration at her own carelessness. 

“Princess,” Chat says, stalking closer to her with cat-like speed. 

Marinette steps back, but finds herself trapped when her back hits the brick wall behind her. She scrambles to grip at it wildly, and can only watch as her partner gets closer.

She closes her eyes when his curious expression peers down at her, and suddenly his cheek is against hers, rubbing in a way that makes her feel like a real cat is nuzzling the skin of her face.

”Smell very good,” Chat mutters again her cheek, his nose pressing right next to her ear. 

There’s something weird about how affectionate he’s being. And Marinette tries to push him away. 

But Chat wraps his arms around her, pulling her close and keeping her still in an embrace that makes her tense. He continues to nuzzle against her, sniffing and smelling and mumbling things she isn’t always able to hear.

”Chat,” Marinette croaks, “you’re not thinking straight. 

“My princess,” he drones, sighing happily when he buries his head in the crook of her neck. 

“Y-Your princess?”

Chat hums. “So soft.”

”Chat-“

”All mine.”

Marinette relaxes slightly, moving one hand tentatively into his hair, beginning a slow letting motion that seems to make him even happier. 

“You’re such a troublesome kitty aren’t you?” 

He hugs her a little tighter. “So sweet, Princess.”

Marinette can’t help the tug at the corners of her mouth that form a smile. And after a few seconds, she hugs him back, letting him mutter nonsense that makes sense and doesn’t at the same time.

She begins to think she wouldn’t mind hugging Chat Noir more often. But, would that be a weird thing to do as friends?

After all, he isn’t really a cat, contrary to popular belief.

Chat rests his forehead against hers, catching her off guard, and Marinette hopes he can’t hear her heart picking up its pace in her chest. But, then again, why is her heart speeding up so fast? She tells herself it has to do with the lack of personal space, and not the fact that his lips are a breath away from hers.

Marinette makes a mental note to throw out her catnip later, because too much of these moments and she thinks her heart just might burst.

”Love you,” the cat boy laughs, sounding far away, and in a sense he really isn’t there with her. 

The girl freezes again, his words making her think about Adrien. There’s always something about Chat Noir that reminds her of Adrien and it makes her feel guilty. And Marinette knows Chat doesn’t actually love her, but something in her wants to say it back. 

“Love you too,” she whispers sadly, “just not like _that_.”

Adrien’s face pops into her head again and she tries her best to ignore it. 

And then Chat’s lips graze against her ear lobe, as Marinette sucks in a breath. She shudders involuntarily, wondering how long this trance he’s in will last. 

Marinette takes in his dilated pupils, and immediately she remembers he’s not himself right now. So she uses a little more force and peels him off of her, much to his dismay, but it’s for his (and her) own good. 

Chat reaches out for his classmate, but she ducks under his arm and escapes from the wall by slipping back through her trap door. 

Quickly, Marinette closes it on him, just as he attempts to grasp her once again. 

And as Marinette sits back inside the comfort of her room, she has to calm the beating of her heart and the blush in her cheeks.

Her heart is guarded and special and sacred. And Chat Noir is getting way too close to scaling the gates and forcing his way in. 

She wonders if that would really be so bad.


	11. “Are you... doodling Chat Noir?”

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Adrien takes advantage of his double life, and talks about himself. But, Marinette gives him more than he expected.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry I’m so late. I’ve been so busy :(

There are reasons why he goes to see her as Chat. 

Reasons why he lands on her balcony as a cat themed superhero instead of a classmate. Reasons why he hides behind a mask that is really his source of freedom. 

The biggest one, is that Adrien is 90% sure Marinette doesn’t like him. Not when he’s her classmate anyway. And while people are constantly telling him she doesn’t hate him, Adrien thinks they’re just saying that to be nice. 

It’s in her demeanor. 

Her words and actions and the visible discomfort she shows whenever he seems to be around. If Adrien is being honest, he really doesn’t know what he’s done to make her so distant.

But Chat, on the other hand, is someone Marinette always jokes with, helps out, plays games with, tells off, feeds, compliments, and just acts so warm and relaxed around. 

He’s seen Marinette interact with other people, and minus Chloe, she’s so outgoing with everyone else she talks to.

“Are you . . . _doodling_ Chat Noir?” Adrien hears someone say, and the hairs on the back of his neck stand straight up. 

At the mention of his alter ego, the teenage boy turns around, taking in the sight of an amused Alya and a blushing Marinette. 

“No!” Marinette shouts, slamming her sketchbook shut with so much force that papers fly in all directions, one smacking Adrien straight in the face. 

His fingers pull the sheet away, while his eyes are met with the sight of himself. That is, as Chat Noir anyway. It’s a rough sketch if anything, but it’s a picture well drawn. Adrien smiles, looking fondly at the paper for a little bit too long.

The blonde teenager offers his shy classmate a genuine grin. ”This is amazing Marinette.”

She shifts uncomfortably, reminding Adrien that they’re not as close as he wants them to be.

Adrien hands the paper back to her, and she gratefully pulls it out of his hand. “T-Thank y-you.”

“Girl, you must’ve looked at tons of pictures of Chat Noir to get your drawings _this_ accurate,” Alya jokes. 

Marinette tugs nervously at one of her twin tails. “Something like that.”

”I heard you guys are close,” Adrien adds, a twinkle in his eye. 

The designer puts her loose papers together, shoving them back into the sketchbook. “He likes to say hello sometimes,” Marinette explains, and Adrien wonders why she gives the bare minimum of their true relationship. 

“That’s it?” Alya asks, scrunching up her nose. “Sounds awfully boring.”

”Yep!” Marinette squeaks. “That’s it, you know, just boring old me giving a quick hello before he leaves.”

Adrien frowns. 

She’s lying, obviously. He knows that there is so much more to his visits than that. At least, Adrien always believed she thought of them a little more highly than boring greetings. 

“Don’t you like him?” Adrien asks. 

The bluenette blushes. “M-Me like h-him?” 

“As a friend.”

”Oh!” Marinette yelps. “Uh, well I mean he’s kind of annoying sometimes.”

The teen model visibly deflates. 

“But,” his shy classmate whispers, “I have to admit that I would really miss him if he wasn’t around.”

Adrien perks up. 

“He’s taken for granted too often,” she continues, “by everyone in this city, and I don’t think it’s right.”

”It’s hard to compete with someone as amazing as Ladybug,” Alya points out. 

Adrien nods. “That’s true-“

”No it’s not,” Marinette snaps, and then she’s looking straight at Adrien with so much intensity he feels like he’s insignificant.

”Chat Noir doesn’t need to compete with anyone,” her tone is strong, stronger than he’s ever heard. “He’s an amazing superhero that’s absolutely selfless, and kind, and funny, and an all around good, no _great_ , person.”

Alya whistles in surprise. “It sounds like you guys do more than just ‘say hello’ every once in a while.”

”Think what you want,” the designer shrugs, “I’m just stating facts.”

Adrien is staring at her now, eyes shining and the smile on his face is so wide his face feels like it’s stretching. 

“Chat Noir is lucky to have someone like you in his life,” the blonde tells her. 

Marinette shakes her head. “I like to think I’m the lucky one.”

And Adrien will never tell you that his heart skipped a beat.


	12. Touch Starved

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Chat Noir is insecure and Adrien needs a hug.

They’re sitting on the floor of her bedroom when he brings it up. Marinette is laying on her stomach, looking at her homework with a pencil held in between her lips. 

“So, I heard you've been telling people about our play dates,” Chat says, shooting her a wink. But, in reality he’s trying to hide his own insecurity with his playful behavior. 

And she sees right through it. 

“Who told you that?”

He looks away. “Uh, that Agreste kid in your class.”

“You talk to Adrien?” Marinette asks, skepticism in her voice. 

“Yeah, sometimes,” Chat lies. “When I want to know what’s going on with the world.”

”So you were snooping?”

Chat shakes his head. “No! Adrien just told me because he wanted to.”

Marinette highly doubts what he’s saying, given that she knows Adrien personally. But, then again, she’s not as close to him as she’d like to be. 

“In that case,” she sighs. “Yes, I told a couple people that you like to say hello sometimes.”

”That’s all?”

Marinette wonders why he’s being so strange about this. “Did you want me to say something else?”

Chat Noir shrugs. “Maybe you could’ve mentioned that we play video games, or that you feed me, or maybe tell them that we have meaningful conversations.”

She doesn’t say anything. 

“Maybe you could act like you actually care about me,” he whispers, but he wants to take it back as soon as he does. He expects her to be mad about his comment, but instead she sits up next to him. 

“Is that what you think?” Marinette asks. “You think I don’t care about you?”

Adrien thinks back to the night when she’d asked him to stay. The day he found out that she did in fact care about him, so he can’t say that she doesn’t.

”I didn’t mean that,” Chat answers, “I just feel like you’re ashamed of me or something.”

Marinette looks baffled. “What?”

”Do you not want people to know we hang out?”

”Chat, I don’t want people to get the wrong idea,” she explains, trying desperately to explain her thought process. 

“What wrong idea?” Chat asks. 

Her face goes red. “I don’t want more people to think we’re dating or something, like most of Paris already does.”

“Would dating me really be that bad?” Adrien says absentmindedly. 

“Dating?”

”I didn’t mean that either,” he groans. “I just don’t want you to be embarrassed to be my friend.”

Marinette shakes her head, and sits on her knees, angling her body towards his. He doesn’t know why he suddenly cares so much, it’s a new feeling that he doesn’t really understand. 

“Chat Noir, look at me,” she commands. His eyes glance upwards weakly. “Don’t you ever think, for one second, that I am not proud to be your friend.” 

Adrien can’t help but smile. 

“I downplayed your visits because I didn’t want people snooping and making assumptions about your life anymore than they already do,” Marinette tells him.

Chat feels his mood pick up. “I’m sorry for saying you didn’t care, Princess.”

”If you want the truth,” the designer starts, “I’ll tell you that your visits are the highlight of my week, and no one makes me laugh as much as you do.”

A blush spreads under his mask. His heart rate picks up subtly in his chest, because these are some of the kindest words he’s ever been told. Chat has the urge to hug her, but he’s hesitant, given the catnip incident and his awkwardness. 

She’s looking at him oddly now, and he realizes he’s been staring for quite some time. 

“Can I hug you?” Chat asks, swallowing nervously. 

Marinette laughs, before throwing her arms around his neck and holding him close to her body. He smells vanilla when his nose brushes against her shoulder. 

“Of course you can, silly cat.”

”Sorry,” Adrien mumbles, “I don’t have much experience with this.”

Marinette squeezes him even tighter. “I’ll have to fix that, now won’t I?”

Chat Noir grins, gripping her a little bit more because he feels happy and appreciated and maybe even a little bit of love when he’s with Marinette. He wishes he could feel this way with Ladybug. 

“Chat?”

”Hmm?”

”I just want you to know that you’re a great superhero, okay?” 

His heart pounds violently. 

“T-Thanks,” Adrien stutters. 

“No,” she shakes her head. “Thank you.”


	13. Nightmares

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Chat’s worst nightmare.

Marinette likes to think Paris is peaceful, that dangers are non-existent, and the people she loves will not get hurt. 

But even she knows that’s naive.

As a superhero herself she knows there have been times where people almost died, and she’s seen Chat Noir come to her on countless occasions with bruises and scrapes caused by not so nice people. 

So as she walks back home from Alya’s house, at some ungodly hour of the night, Marinette is pretty sure that her parents are going to be mad. Given that they are loving parents that want their only daughter to be safe. The faults are all on her side. But, she plans to explain that she fell asleep and that her phone died. 

Suddenly, her attention is pulled when she hears the sound of steady footsteps behind her. 

Footsteps that are getting faster, and louder, and _closer_.

Marinette doesn’t want to panic, but she picks up her pace a little bit too. A part of her says she has nothing to worry about, footsteps do not equal danger. But then she glances over her shoulder and sees a hooded figure that stops Marinette’s sanity. 

She runs, feet pounding against the pavement, and fear pushing her to go faster and faster and faster until-

Marinette screams when it’s too late.

The man she saw has caught up to her, and all her fears are confirmed when a hand is slapped over her mouth and she’s pulled into an alley. 

Her muffled protests do nothing, and her thrashing legs are her only defense as she’s dragged deeper into the darkness. And then her squirming stops when she feels the cold metal of a knife pressed against her throat. 

Marinette can do nothing but helplessly sob into her kidnapper’s hand. It’s sweaty and gross and suffocating her. She needs to breathe, the air coming through her nose barely enough to keep her eyes open. 

The young girl feels the stranger’s hand touch her thigh before he shifts to her bag. But, Marinette doesn’t have any money, and she’s scared to find out what he’ll do when he realizes there’s nothing to steal. 

Another figure lands gracefully in front of her, and she finds herself a little bit relieved to see Chat Noir standing there. 

Chat has bared teeth and a fire in his usually calm eyes. “Let. her. go.”

Marinette feels the metal shaking against her skin, and she’s scared he’s going to cut her if he keeps trembling so much. 

Her captor manages to shout at the leather-clad teenager. “Take one step closer and I’ll kill her!”

The knife is pressed up closer to her neck, and she’s almost positive he’s broken some skin at this point. And when she looks at Chat through blurry eyes the fear starts to overwhelm her. 

Because right now she’s not Ladybug the superhero, but Marinette the civilian. 

And she doesn’t want to die.

But Chat Noir takes that step, and she fears the worst is about to happen. 

Until, it doesn’t. 

The knife is pulled away from her neck, and almost feels relief until it plunges into her back, straight through her stomach.

Her scream of pain is muffled once again by the hand covering her mouth. But, tears begin streaming down the girl’s face and she can’t bear the pain that has just overcome her. 

Marinette sees the end of the knife sticking out of her, blood stained and sharp and terrifying to see. She cries even louder when her captor twists the handle. Marinette knows she’s losing too much blood.

She barely registers the fact that Chat Noir has extended his baton to knock her kidnapper backwards, and send him flying into the wall. Her mind is barely conscious when he holds onto her and whispers her name like a prayer, over and over and over.

“No no no,” he mutters, frantic and horrified and heartbroken to see his Princess in this condition. 

There is so much pain, too much pain. 

“Chat,” Marinette croaks out, when he hold her head in his hands. 

“It’s okay, Princess,” the boy says, “you’re gonna be great and I’ll get you to a hospital-“

“No,” she tells him. “Please just stay with me, it hurts too much to move.”

“But you’re losing all your blood-“

”I know.”

He can’t accept her answer. “If you know then why won’t you let me save you?!”

Marinett shakily reaches up to cup his cheek, but there’s a scowl on his face and tears in his eyes. 

“We both know there’s not enough time,” her voice is quiet and fading fast. 

Chat Noir knows that she’s right, Marinette can tell by the way he slumps in defeat. But his expression is still serious and determined and she knows she’ll miss it so much.

Marinette has trouble breathing. ”Tell my parents that I love them, please.”

Chat nods, but can’t find it in himself to speak. Not when his best friend is dying, not when sweet Marinette is leaving him alone in this alley. 

 _The world will be deprived_ , he thinks, watching the dull look in her once illuminating eyes. They will be the unfortunate ones when she leaves because she’s one of a kind. Marinette who heals his wounds, Marinette who gives him treats, Marinette who defends him, Marinette who saves him, Marinette who seems to be the only person in the world that lets him know how much she really cares. 

Marinette, who’s dying in his arms because he wasn’t quick enough to save her for once. 

“Minou,” she chokes, periodically closing and opening her eyes. “You k-know that I think the world of y-you, right?”

Chat starts shaking, uncontrollably, and he starts to cry and scream and sniffle. 

“Ladybug is so dumb for not loving you back,” Marinette continues. “I’m really happy that you came to me that f-first night you got hurt.”

”Marinette,” Chat sobs. “Don’t talk like I ever deserved you, _please_.”

There’s a sad smile on her face, and Chat feels a sick and twisted pain in his chest. He feels like someone has just ripped his heart out and smashed it into a thousand pieces. And he glares at the unconscious man sprawled out a few feet away.

Marinette starts clutching her stomach, chest heaving and he notices the deep red of her shirt. The deep red that is her blood. The deep red that means death.

It’s something out of his worst _nightmare_.

”I-I don’t wanna d-die,” The young girl whimpers, clinging on to hope for her life to be miraculously saved.

”You’re not dying,” Chat lies, and he doesn’t know who he’s convincing.

”Don’t lie t-to me,” she whispers, shutting her eyes. And every fiber in his being screams at him to say something back because there isn’t enough time to hesitate.

But he doesn’t. 

“I-I forgot to tell you,” Marinette is fading fast, and she sounds so terribly broken that it physically hurts him to see her this way. “I forgot to t-tell you that I-I love you, Chat N-Noir.”

Chat wants to say it back, but words are behind him when he opens his mouth and he can’t let her know. His throat closes up and then she goes limp in his arms, breathing her last breath. 

All he feels is regret. 

“I love you too!” Chat shouts, almost like he believes saying it loud enough will make her hear it. 

Chat breaks down, crying and sobbing and bawling and screaming at the world for taking away a fifteen year old girl that deserved so much more.

“I love you too,” he sniffles. “Princess, please wake up.” 

And she looks so peaceful in his arms, but her body is so so cold. And all he’s ever known from Marinette is warmth.

“Marinette, come back to me, please please just open your eyes,” Chat begs, burying his face in the crook of her neck. “Just come home, and let me tell you that I love you.”

”I’m such an idiot,” he growls. “Why didn’t I say it back?!” 

Chat’s anger and sadness pool together as he cries in frustration at his own hesitation and stupidity. The girl he loves has just died, and he couldn’t even tell her that he loved her before she did.

He can’t feel anything anymore. 

He’s numb, he’s scared, he’s afraid, he’s absolutely-

 

* * *

 

Dreaming. 

Adrien wakes up in a cold sweat, only to see Marinette, alive and well, holding his arms down to her bed. 

“Chat!” Marinette shouts, staring down at him with a concerned expression. But he ignores her furrowed brow and pouty lips, and instead he rushes to hold her in his arms, afraid he’s dreaming again. 

“Are you real?” Chat asks, hesitant and afraid and holding his breath.

She freezes in his arms, obviously confused with his behavior. “Of course I’m real. Chat what’s wrong?”

”I had a nightmare that you,” he gulps, “that you died and you left me alone in an alley and I was so scared that I-“

”It’s okay kitty,” Marinette soothes, petting his hair comfortingly. “I’m fine, we’re both right here.”

Chat Noir holds her tighter. “You don’t understand, you wouldn’t let me save you and it felt _so_ _real_.”

She pulls away to look at him. “I’m fine, it’s okay now.”

Chat wants to believe her, but the vivid nightmare keeps replaying in his head and he can’t imagine experiencing that pain over again. 

“Marinette,” he starts, “you know that I really, uh, care about you, right?”

She smiles at him. “Of course.”

”Good,” Chat tells her. “Please don’t ever forget that.”

He knows he wants to say more. The dream has given him a few revelations he needs to discuss with her at some point. But right now Marinette is alive and real and he’s so relieved, that he doesn’t feel like talking all that much.

”Are you alright?” Marinette questions, curiously watching his face. 

“I’m just, happy that you’re here and perfectly healthy,” he answers, breathing out a sigh of relief at the turn of events.

The young girl doesn’t press him any further, but he has a secret hidden inside his heart. 

A secret given to him, from his worst nightmare. 


	14. “I told you it was a bad idea to do that.”

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Chat thinks about his nightmare, and something his subconscious let slip.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It’s July, and I am SO sorry about how late this is. Please forgive me, I’ve just been so busy and distracted lately.

Something has been bothering him.

It’s nagging at his brain and tugging at his heart, but he doesn’t want to acknowledge the possibility of this at all. 

It was something in his dream. 

No. 

His nightmare. 

He’d been able to see through Marinette’s thoughts, her eyes, up until she got stabbed. It was odd, to see Marinette’s perspective as his own. 

Remembering the graphic scenes makes him shudder in fear and relief all at the same time. 

But that isn’t the weirdest part, Chat thinks. The Marinette in his nightmare was created by him, made by him, and if that was the case . . . why had he said she was Ladybug?

The idea had just slipped into the dream and flowed seamlessly into his head. And he didn’t even question it?

Was his subconscious trying to tell him something he didn’t really think about before? 

No.

True, there were some physical similarities, but only some. 

“You should get down,” he hears Marinette say, snapping him out of his thoughts. She’s referring to him balancing on the railing of her balcony. 

“Princess,” he smirks, “I’ve got cat-like grace, so don’t worry about—“

He lands on his tail with a resounding thud that makes Marinette cackle behind him. Chat likes to think he’s the epitome of grace, but obviously he needs to reconsider his self image a little bit. 

“I told you it was a bad idea to do that,” Marinette chides, walking over to stand above him after she’s gotten her giggles out. 

And maybe it’s the way she’s towering over him, maybe it’s the stern tone of her voice, maybe it’s the familiar look in her bluebell eyes, but he swears he can see Ladybug on the balcony with him.

”Ladybug,” Chat whispers. 

Marinette takes a step back. “What did you say?”

The superhero clears his throat. “Uh, Ladybug would be disappointed in me.” 

She lets out a sigh of... relief?

”Just be more careful,” the designer tells him, and Chat can only nod while thoughts of spots and a mask swirl in his mind. 

There’s just no way. 

Right?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know that was short >_<  
> I’m just trying to get this finished because I let it go for two whole months ...


	15. Ridiculous Romantic Gestures

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Marinette is tired and Chat wants her to feel like a princess. Or his princess.

She wakes up to the sight of Chat Noir in her face, and she’s pretty sure she’s dreaming. 

“Good morning, Princess—“

”Go away,” Marinette groans, pushing a throw pillow against his face. 

He stumbles back, landing on his butt at the foot of her bed. She hears his quiet muttering about her ‘not being a morning person’, but she’s too tired to respond. 

“Marin- _ette_ ,” Chat whines, pulling her covers off of her. She shivers from the exposure to the cool chill of her room. 

Reluctantly, she finds herself sitting up and glaring at the sheepish smile on the superhero’s face. “What do you want?”

”I’m glad to see you too,” he rolls his eyes. “Why are you so tired today, Princess? I’m used to you being a ball of energy when I’m around.”

Her anger dissipates, leaving pure exhaustion and resignation on the young girl’s face. With a weak hand she wipes at her heavy eyes. 

“I stayed up really late last night trying to cram for my physics test tomorrow,” she tells him, an unattractive yawn slipping out before she can help it. 

“How late are we talking?” Chat asks curiously. 

Marinette shrugs. “I don’t know, I think I went to sleep at 3 AM?”

”What?!” Chat shouts, much louder than he intended to. His voice startles the sleepy designer, who’s still very much not awake. “You studied for that long?”

She sighs. “I spent the entire day finishing up a bunch of designs, and I just didn’t get a lot of rest.”

”You should take better care of yourself,” Chat Noir whispers quietly, looking very serious in the moment.

Half-asleep, Marinette reaches out to gently ruffle his golden hair. As if it wasn’t messy enough. “I’m fine, Chaton. I just need a little bit of rest.”

”I should let you sleep then,” he smiles weakly at her. “Even though you don’t need any beauty sl—“

”Don’t finish that sentence if you want to live,” the baker’s daughter snorts. 

Adrien laughs at her, and then a hesitant look flashes in his eyes and he awkwardly gives her a wave before leaving her alone in her room.

She kind of wishes she asked him to nap with her.

 

* * *

 

Marinette sees Chat again that night, of course donning her mask and yo-yo this time around.

“I don’t know about you, kitty,” Ladybug says, when they’ve finished patrol, “but I’m ready to go home.”

Chat sits on the edge of a random roof next to his partner, legs dangling beside each other. 

“Long night M’lady?” 

She holds back a yawn. “Something like that.”

”Yeah Mari—um my _friend_ is going through the same thing,” Chat tells her, and of course Marinette takes note of his slip up. She knows full well that he’s referring to her.

”Oh?” 

Chat looks out towards the city wistfully. “I want to do something for her.”

”What do you mean?” Ladybug asks. 

Her partner unconsciously lets a smile form on his face. “She’s just been such a good friend to me, helping me out no matter what, making sure I know how much she appreciates me, letting me bug her to death.” He laughs at that last part, and so does she. 

“This friend is a girl?” Ladybug says teasingly, not being able to help the suggestive lilt in her voice.

And being as precious as he is, Chat Noir blushes underneath his dark mask. “It’s really not like that. Marinette is just a friend.”

Ladybug rolls her eyes. Not that she doesn’t believe what Chat is saying, because she wholeheartedly agrees that they really are just friends. But, she feels that she’s endured enough friendzoning to last her a life time. 

“Besides,” Chat Noir whispers, “my heart belongs to you and only you, Bugaboo.”

She gulps nervously, never 100% sure if he’s serious or not. But, she never lets herself believe him for fear of ruining the comfortable relationship they have. They’re superheroes who need to keep things professional anyway. 

“So!” Ladybug shouts awkwardly, attempting to change the subject. “What did you want to do for this lady friend of yours?”

She sees him frown for a split second, and she gathers it’s because she never acknowledges his feelings for her, but Chat manages to crack a smile to mask his disappointment.

”I don’t know yet,” he admits, “but she deserves something special.”

Her heart flutters. And, maybe it’s weird and crazy because Ladybug and Marinette are the same person, they’re both _her_. But, hearing Chat say things about her civilian identity makes them feel much more real in her head and in her heart. 

“You must really care about her,” Marinette doesn’t have any teasing in her voice this time. Just a hint of fondness.

The cat themed hero laughs mostly to himself. ”Yeah, I-I guess I do.”

“Well, I can’t tell you what to do for her,” Ladybug says, because there’s no way she’s telling Chat what to get for herself, “but it’s the thought that counts.”

”I’m sure she’d be fine if you didn’t do anything,” she adds.

”I know she would be,” Chat agrees, “she’s way too nice for her own good. But, this is something I just _want_ to do.”

Marinette leans her head onto her partner’s shoulder, barely noticing the way he tenses before relaxing again.

“She’s lucky to have you, Kitty.”

 

* * *

 

“Don’t peek!”

”Chat, I swear my eyes are completely closed!”

Marinette stays still, Chat’s hands on her shoulders the only thing helping to calm her nerves. She wasn’t exactly surprised when her pun loving partner had tapped on her skylight and told her he had a surprise for her, given their conversation during patrol. But, she didn’t actually know what the surprise was. 

So, a confused Marinette now stands with her eyes closed on her balcony. She’s unsure of what to expect, but Chat was very secretive and also seemingly very excited to show her.

“Okay,” Marinette hears him breathe nervously behind her, “open your eyes.”

It takes a moment to adjust to the light, but then she sees the giant fluffy blanket laid out across the floor and the assortment of colorful pillows and cat plushies strewn along the edges. Her eyes dart to the pretty lights wrapped around the railing of her balcony, and the countless rose petals scattered across the ground. 

“Chat, this is so ...”

”Do you like it?” 

Her mind is reeling. Everything about it is absolutely beautiful and touching and the whole atmosphere is just—

“... romantic,” Marinette finishes. 

All of a sudden, Chat is panicking. 

“Oh my god, it is?! You’re right, it actually is! I’m so sorry! I didn’t mean to make it like a date or something and make you uncomfortable! I just wanted you to feel better because you’ve been tired lately and I thought if I set up somewhere for you to sleep, we could still hang out up here, you know? But, I didn’t realize that this was really weird and I need to stop constantly using the internet— _Oomph_.”

Marinette hugs him before he can rant anymore. And, she smiles because she’s normally the one who can’t stop going on and on. 

“Oh,” Chat gulps, “we’re hugging.”

She squeezes him tighter. “Only if you hug me back, dumb cat.”

So he does. Arms wrapping tentatively around her small frame and holding her close to his body. 

“Told you we’d work on this,” she jokes, liking the sound of his laugh when she does.

”You did, didn’t you?”

The feeling of Chat’s embrace is warm and comforting and nice. It’s how she always pictured hugging Adrien would be, except there would be more butterflies in her stomach and a quicker pace of her heart if she was hugging her crush and not her partner. 

When she notices they’ve been silent for too long, she speaks up.

“Thanks for this, Chat,” Marinette mutters into his chest. “I really do appreciate it.”

”I-I’m glad,” he tells her, blushing when she pulls away and looks at him with pure affection in her bright sapphire eyes. “What are friends for, right?”

She frowns suddenly, seemingly lost in her own thoughts. 

“What’s wrong?” Chat Noir asks.

Marinette blinks. “The cat plushies are a bit much, don’t you think?”


	16. Cuddles + Petting + Nuzzles

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Chat tests his limits. Marinette doesn’t seem to have any.

They’re watching the stars on an unfamiliar rooftop when he decides to test his luck. 

It’s become a sort of routine that every Friday night, he takes Marinette out somewhere different in the city. Hanging out on her balcony is fun, but sometimes they both need that getaway. They aren’t  _dates_ , no far from them actually. Most of the time they will be talking about their unrequited crushes, which Chat had been unaware of until Marinette had let it slip a few nights ago.

Soon, they realized that talking about their similar situations was oddly therapeutic for the both of them. Which is how their stargazing nights became their own little therapy sessions too. 

“He’s just,” Marinette starts with furrowed brows, “perfect!”

Chat laughs, placing his hands underneath his head. They’re both laying on top of a thick blanket that Marinette had brought, the official stargazing blanket they’d been using since the beginning of these little outings.

”No one is perfect,” he tells the bluenette.

”I know that,” she sighs, “but it’s more like I feel that he’s perfect for me.”

”I know what you mean,” Chat says, Ladybug immediately coming to mind. His suspicions of Marinette being Ladybug have really ... not developed further whatsoever. He has no proof. His only evidence being his instinct and dreams. And, that’s not evidence at all. 

Deep down he feels that he just _wants_ Marinette to be Ladybug, but that’s not a good reason to believe she _is_.

If she is his partner, he decides that she’s very good at hiding it. But, Adrien also decides that he doesn’t want them to be mixed up in his head if he’s not sure. So currently, Marinette is just Marinette, and Ladybug is Ladybug.

He’ll ignore the signs for now.

”Well, aren’t we just a couple of rejects?” Marinette grumbles, getting his attention.

And to her surprise, he bursts out laughing. Marinette shoots him a quizzical look, but soon giggles alongside the superhero underneath the starry sky.

“How pessimistic of you, Princess,” Chat chides teasingly, rolling on his side to look at her. 

She does the same. “Sorry Chaton, I guess I just let things get to me today.”

”I don’t think of us as rejects,” he says calmly. “I think you’re under appreciated and I’m misunderstood.”

”How so?”

“Well, you’re obviously,” the teenage boy searches for the right phrasing, “ _you_.”

Marinette giggles. “Thanks for letting me know, Chat.”

His face is crimson, similar to that of his partner’s suit. “What I meant to say is that you’re sweet, and brave, and talented, and you’re one of my best friends, Marinette.”

She smiles fondly at him, eyes reflecting the stars in the sky when he manages to smile back.

“You’re all of that too,” her voice is barely above a whisper, but he hears her. And the quietness of her words makes it all the more intimate in his mind. “You’re always there when I need you, and that speaks volumes for just how wonderful you are.”

Chat Noir feels warmth in his stomach and nerves in his system. 

Marinette glances away shyly before looking back again. “Thank you for being _you_ , Chat Noir.”

Butterflies. 

They erupt in his stomach and he’s suddenly very aware of how close they are to each other. He has a strong urge to just throw his arm around her and pull her close. But, he rejects the idea because he’d be overstepping bounds. 

Wouldn’t he?

Would she push him away if he tried?

Marinette didn’t seem like the type of person who’d do that. Especially if she understood his intentions were purely innocent. 

He’ll never know if he doesn’t try.

“Marinette?” 

“Hm?”

”Could you,” he swallows, “turn the other way, please?”

She looks confused for a brief moment, but complies and turns to look in the opposite direction. And he thinks that she’s too nice for her own good because she didn’t even as why.

Tentatively, he tests the waters by scooting closer to her on their shared blanket. 

Marinette doesn’t flinch. 

Chat gulps before draping his arm over her torso, gently pulling her close to him. His chest is pressed against her back, and he prays she can’t hear his heartbeat. Really the cause of its rapid pace is just his nerves telling him that she’ll think he’s some sort of creep in a catsuit.

He hears her suck in a breath, but she relaxes quickly and places her hand over his, keeping him in place. 

“I-Is this okay?” Chat asks, holding his breath in fear of rejection. 

Marinette shifts, sitting up and pulling Chat’s arm off of her. 

His stomach drops and his heart sinks.

Until, she turns back to face him and wraps her arms around his midsection. Adrien feels her grab his arm and put it back over her small frame, her head snuggling against his chest. He can smell the vanilla scent she has when his nose gets closer to her hair. 

“It’ll always be okay, Minou,” Marinette assures him, an answer to his previous question. 

Happiness blooms inside of him, the warmth she provides in one hug more than everything he’s had in his childhood. And though they’ve hugged before, this is more than that. It’s not really romantic, more so than intimate. It’s personal and close and they both have an understanding. 

They just find comfort in each other.

In their friendship. 

Adrien never wants to lose her.

”Thank you, Marinette.”

”For what?”

”Being as wonderfully amazing as you are,” he says, reaching up to gently pet her hair in slow movements. 

Marinette tilts her head up, nuzzling his neck with the tip of her nose before moving back down.

”You’ve got a way with words,” she laughs, “I’m surprised Ladybug hasn’t fallen in love with you yet.”

He can’t explain what happened in that moment, but his heart doesn’t exactly break. Because with Marinette in his arms, he starts to think he’ll be okay if his Lady never loves him back.

Chat rests his chin on her head. ”I’m surprised your mystery boy hasn’t fallen head over heels _fur_ you too, Princess.”

The designer playfully swats at his shoulder, hiding her laughter when she buries her face deeper into his chest. He can’t help thinking that she’s absolutely adorable. 

”We may be the rejects,” Chat says, “but I think we’re the real winners here.”

Marinette looks up at him, her eyes filled with pure admiration, trust, and genuine hope. 

”I think you’re right, Kitty.”


	17. Heartbeat

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Their hearts beat differently for different people. (Though they’re really the same.)

It’s steady, his heartbeat, and Adrien doesn’t really notice it when he’s running across rooftops as he trails after Ladybug.

But, for the first time he stops to realize how out of the ordinary that is. He still loves his Lady, of course he does, but there aren’t butterflies in his stomach and there aren’t fireworks in his heart.

There usually are. 

Now there aren’t.

Chat Noir doesn’t really know why.

His feelings for her certainly haven’t diminished in any way. Ladybug is amazing, and confident, and beautiful. There’s just something odd about his lack of nervousness around her.

Maybe he’s just gotten comfortable.

If Ladybug notices how quiet he is during patrol that night, she doesn’t comment.

They don’t talk much at all actually. 

And, much to his surprise, he doesn't really care.

 

* * *

 

It’s calm, her heartbeat, and Marinette doesn’t even pay attention to it as she sits beside Adrien during lunch. Alya and Nino had schemed to make this happen, claiming they wanted some alone time.

She only registers how weird that is when he puts a hand on her shoulder and there’s a slight increase in pace.

Marinette wonders how she isn’t combusting, or sputtering out incoherent nonsense. She wonders why she doesn’t feel nerves overtake her body, or why there isn’t that normal blush rising in her cheeks. 

There usually is.

Now there isn’t. 

If Adrien notices that she isn’t quite as animated as normal he doesn’t say anything.

They don’t talk much at all actually.

And, shocking herself, she’s not even that disappointed.

 

* * *

 

It’s fast, his heartbeat, when Chat drops in to see his princess and said princess tackles him with a hug. 

He feels it pounding against his chest, and he furrows his brows when he understands how out of the ordinary that is. Marinette has her arms around his neck and her face against his chest, affectionately muttering an adorable greeting.

There are butterflies when she looks at him and grins, arms still thrown around his neck without signs of letting go. 

He wouldn’t mind if she never did. 

When she finally does, Marinette’s insisting that he sits down beside her and tells her about his day. 

Chat Noir laughs before telling her anything and everything his princess wants to hear. 

All the while his heartbeat is still going strong.

If she notices that he’s looking at her with a little bit more fondness in his eyes than usual, she doesn’t question him. 

Until, she does.

”Why are you looking at me like that?” Marinette asks with a blush.

Adrien chuckles, scratching the back of his neck with a shy grin.

“Because I’m just really glad to have you in my life, Princess.”

His princess smiles back, wreaking havoc on his already weak heart.

 

* * *

 

It’s rapid, her heartbeat, when Chat wraps her up in a huge hug, nuzzling his nose against her neck.

And, Marinette only sees how weird it is that her heart is pounding against her chest so fast when he shows no signs of letting go. 

She wouldn’t mind if he never did. 

Sometimes she has to tell herself he does things like embracing her only to satisfy his need for affection. Much like a cat. Not because he sees Marinette romantically in any way. 

Because of course he never would. 

Marinette wouldn’t see him romantically either.

But, there’s a lump in her throat when she lies to herself. 

If Chat notices that Marinette looks a little bit sad behind her usual smile he doesn’t say anything. 

Until, he does. 

“Are you okay, Princess?”

She’s surprised that he mentions her mood, she’s surprised that he noticed.

”Better now that you’re here,” she tells him, and it’s really not a lie. 

And, Chat grins before taking her hand and pressing his lips affectionately against her knuckles.

It does nothing to still the pounding of her heart.

She doesn’t really want it to.


	18. Bodyguard

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Just call him Chat Noir: Professional bodyguard.

“What’s it like having Chat Noir as a personal bodyguard?” Alya asks, spinning around on Marinette’s desk chair while the bluenette sits on the floor.

“Excuse me?” Marinette does a double take, because she’s pretty sure she heard that wrong. “Chat Noir is _not_ my personal bodyguard.”

”He sure acts like it,” Her red haired friend shrugs. “You’re always the first person he runs to during an akuma attack.”

”That’s not true!”

Alya rolls her eyes. “Don’t forget that I have the footage from the attacks to back up my claims.”

Marinette huffs with a flush in her cheeks. She hadn’t realized that people saw Chat Noir as her own personal protector. Maybe it was just Alya who thought that. 

“People have been commenting like _crazy_ on the Ladyblog, especially since the whole ‘Marichat is real’ fiasco last month.”

”People should really focus on something else,” Marinette mutters bitterly.

”Sorry girl,” Alya says with a small smile, “but Chat Noir is a literal superhero who drops everything for you. That’s not something people just ignore.”

”You’re right,” the designer frowns, “but I wish it was.”

Marinette already knows Chat Noir probably has enough on his plate as it is. Dealing with press, akuma attacks, fans, and unnecessary hate. She’s Ladybug, she would know. But, she never thought her civilian identity would cause him so much trouble too.

”You know,” Alya muses, “you haven’t talked about Adrien in a while.”

”What does Adrien have to do with this?”

”This is exactly what I mean! You’re normally always going on and on about Adrien. But, now it’s just like you’ve forgotten about him or something.”

Marinette shakes her head. “I would never forget about Adrien.”

She truly means it. She’s in love with Adrien Agreste and nothing is going to make her forget the fact.

”You know what I think?” Alya asks.

”What?”

”I don’t think Chat Noir is your bodyguard,” she says.

”Thank you!”

”I think he’s more than that,” Alya finishes.

Marinette coughs. “What?”

The blogger pushes up her glasses. “I think he’s the reason you’re not an absolute mess around Adrien anymore, and I also think you have feelings for him.”

”Feelings? For Chat Noir?” Marinette scoffs the words out. “There’s no way I would ever—“

”Why not?” Alya cuts the girl off. “He’s obviouly attractive! He’s a superhero, and he cares a lot about you, Marinette. What’s not to like?”

”Just because he has a pretty face doesn’t mean I should _like_ him,” the designer huffs out.

Alya raises a brow. ”That’s not what I meant and you know it.”

She does know it. Marinette knows exactly what Alya is saying and she knows that she is trying to hide from it. Because she’s already had this conversation with herself, a million times. 

Why not?

Marinette finds a way to shoot the thoughts down every single time.

”Chat Noir is just my friend,” her voice whispers, trying to convince herself more than Alya at this point. 

“Marinette,” her best friend calls softly, “it’s okay if you have feelings for him.”

”No, it’s not!”

There is suddenly not enough air in her room. There are thoughts and thoughts and thoughts piling up in her brain and she just _can’t_ think. It’s too much for her. Marinette feels guilty and confused and ashamed of what she’s experiencing within the confines of her heart. 

“I’m in love with Adrien,” she says to herself, “and he’s in love with Ladybug.”

”How do you know he doesn’t have feelings for you too?” Alya questions.

“I just do, okay?” Marinette answers, hugging her knees to her chest. “Even if I do have feelings for him, it doesn’t matter. We’re not supposed to be like that, I’m just a friend and nothing more.”

Alya seems unsatisfied with that. ”We both know that’s not true.”

The twin tailed girl frowns, forehead creasing when she thinks about how much that dumb cat really matters to her.

”It has to be,” she whispers, “I couldn’t handle anything else.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This didn’t really relate to the bodyguard prompt that much whoops. Is Marichat your favorite ship of the love square?


	19. “I made you a mask to wear out of the suit.”

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A short chapter with a lot of development. Or where the author puts the prompt at the beginning to get it out of the way so she can write some good old Marichat the way she wants haha.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Is it bad that I wanted to speed up the whole “falling in love” process?

“You did what?” Chat asks.

“I made you a mask to wear out of the suit,” she says with a smile, holding up a small piece of eyewear for him to see.

It looks identical to the one on his face, except of course the actual material itself. Marinette surely doesn’t have any indestructible magic leather lying around to make her own mask. The gesture is sweet and so perfectly Marinette, but he’s curious as to why she did it.

“Why?” Adrien blurts it out before he can think straight. 

Marinette suddenly looks very shy, placing the homemade mask down onto her desk before fiddling with her thumbs.

”Well, I wanted to be able to hang out at places other than my balcony and the occasional rooftop,” her voice quietly admits. “Besides, this way no one will know you’re Chat Noir and we can just—“

This time around he’s the one hugging her by surprise. “Thank you,” he murmurs into her shoulder. “My princess is so thoughtful.”

”Y-Your princess?” Marinette stutters.

He pulls away with a laugh. “I certainly hope you aren’t someone else’s princess.”

It’s meant to be a joke, but when she turns her head away with a distinct frown he realizes the weight of his words. She _is_  in fact, someone else’s princess, her mystery boy has captured her heart. It really shouldn’t sting as much as it does, but his chest still aches.

For a moment, Adrien is naive enough to think he can pretend. He tends to forget reality when he’s with Marinette, because reality is everything she’s not.

Reality is an empty home and a neglectful father. Reality is a Ladybug who doesn’t love him and a city that thinks he’s useless. Reality is being tired for days on end, never feeling like he can catch a break. Reality is being in love with a beautiful princess that doesn’t belong to him. 

Reality is everything wrong in his life. 

Chat’s gaze is downcast, with his arms still gently around her waist. He’s frowning so deeply because he wants to pretend. He wants to act like for one moment he is hers and she is his. He wants to believe that there’s a universe where Marinette could actually love him instead of her Prince Charming. He wants to find solace in her company and warmth and love, and he wants her to find those things in him too. 

He just ... wants to be with _her_.

Ladybug used to occupy this special place in his heart. The escape that made him forget about the rest of the world. 

But, Marinette has somehow inserted herself there instead.

Chat doesn’t even mind.

Or he wouldn’t, if she reciprocated these unfair feelings he has.

It was never supposed to be like this.

Adrien can’t explain how it happened. Maybe he fell when she accepted him and healed his wounds, maybe when she let him eat anything he wanted, maybe when the city of Paris told him to love her, maybe when she defended him in class, maybe when she protected him in that akuma attack, maybe when he spent the night cuddling her on that rooftop. 

Maybe ... maybe he’s always loved her.

But, he can’t. This just isn’t something he’s allowed to feel and think and want. It isn’t fair that the world always lets him fall head over heels for girls he can’t have.

”Chat,” he hears Marinette call softly, “are you ... _crying_?”

That’s when he immediately recoils, stepping away to wipe furiously at his eyes. Adrien hadn’t even known there were tears in his eyes.

”I can’t,” he rasps, choking on the lump in his throat. 

Marinette reaches her hand out. “Chat Noir—“

”I’m sorry,” the superhero croaks, before he turns on his heel and runs away, getting out of there as fast as he can. There’s not enough space, not enough air, not enough room for his mind to think.

Think. Think. Think.

He can’t _think_.

He ... can’t tell Marinette how he feels. 

Chat makes a note to himself that he’ll squash his budding feelings before it’s too late. 

Deep down he knows it already is.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I really like the idea of falling slowly and rapidly all at once if that makes sense lol. It’s a recurring theme that I use too much in my stories, but I’m kind of obsessed.


	20. “I thought I lost you.”

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Chat Noir comes to the realization that he’s falling out of love. He’s terrified.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Who put this LadyNoir in my MariChat? Lol I did whoops. This is really here for story development, I needed a way to help explain his relationship with Ladybug. Also... angst?

There’s something soothing about patrol.

Something comforting about the routine and risk of it all. The fact that he can always count on his Lady to be there has always been one of the perks. And, the adrenaline he gets from the temporary escape of his everyday life is also a big plus. 

So it’s strange for Adrien when tonight he dreads transforming, reluctantly heading out for the fresh air he usually yearns for. 

Chat Noir lands on the rooftop gracefully, his feet barely making a sound when his boots make contact with the flat surface. His eyes scan the area, not spotting his superheroine partner anywhere close by.

Is it bad that he’s... _relieved_?

Ladybug is the love of his life, his best friend, his partner, his companion through thick and thin, and... Chat Noir doesn’t want to see her.

Adrien realizes that over the past couple days he’s been starting to mind her constantly turning him down less and less. And, he thought it was just because he was comfortable and wanted to give her space. But, Adrien can’t lie to himself anymore about the way he feels. 

He’s starting to fall out of love.

Adrien always believed that Ladybug would be the one for him, that together they’d ride off into the sunset and live happily ever after. He figured it was only a matter of time until she would reciprocate his feelings.

Now he’s not so sure. She’s never done anything to make it seem like she felt the same way, it’s always been in Adrien’s head. His Lady is unobtainable, distant, and not tangible for the cat themed hero anymore.

He thinks it’s time to let go. 

But, it’s much easier said than done. 

She’s his first love, his only love. The memories that they’ve shared, the bond they’ve created. Adrien can’t just let go when the deep rooted feelings are still giving him butterflies inside.

The only thing that eases his thoughts about giving up on his Lady are... Marinette. 

Sweet, kind, brave, Marinette.

His pretty classmate with a gorgeous smile and adorable laugh. 

The only person in the world who’s ever, even for a split second, made him doubt the way he feels about Ladybug. The only other person he’s ever imagined a future with. The only other girl he’s ever thought he could fall in love with. 

And, the _only_ girl who’s ever made him feel like he means the world to her. 

Something Ladybug has never done.

The young teen plops down on the edge of the roof, legs dangling off the side like a little kid waiting for his parent, kicking back at forth while he spirals further down into the abyss of his torturous thoughts.

While the thought of Marinette eases his mind for a second, the reality comes crashing back down on him. 

She loves someone else. 

They always do. 

Adrien wonders why they can’t love him instead. Because, he certainly loves both of them with a passion no one could ever put out.

He thinks back to last night, when Marinette had shot him a dazzling smile and told him she’d made him a mask to wear out of his suit. She’d gone on to say that she wanted to spend more time with him, and the thought warmed his heart.

For a glorious, brief moment, Chat Noir had actually considered letting himself fall, praying that she’d catch him because the things she was saying, and doing, were just too sweet not to fall for her.

But, thinking back to how her lips quivered and eyebrows furrowed when he called her his princess, all hope of being caught were thrown out the window. She doesn’t want to be with him, she wants her prince. 

Not an alley cat with issues at home and awkward social skills.

It’s painful, the realization that Adrien has to go through unrequited love yet again. 

Will he ever learn? 

“Chat?” 

Adrien almost thinks it’s Marinette calling to him until he sees the flash of red in his peripheral vision. 

“What’s got you so down?” Ladybug asks,  “you’re normally way too hyper for patrol.”

The comment is meant to be teasing, Chat knows this, but he slumps his shoulders forward, his eyes glued to his hands in his lap. Suddenly, the spotted heroine is sitting next to him, her shoulder playfully knocking against his. 

“What’s wrong?” Ladybug asks again, concern laced into her voice when he still can’t look at her. “Chat, please talk to me.”

Adrien has to take a breath to calm himself down.

”I messed up,” he whispers, moving his hands to grip the edge of the roof.

”What do you mean?” 

He wonders if he should really be telling this to her of all people, but his need for relief overtakes his rational thought. 

“I’ve been using my powers to see a civilian,” he continues, “and these visits have been going on for a while now.”

”Did they do something wrong?” Ladybug asks tentatively, almost as if she can sense how fragile he feels.

”She did everything wrong!” Chat shouts into the night sky, tears blurring his vision as he speaks. Ladybug looks startled, a frown pulling at her lips before she speaks again. “What did they do?”

”She... She’s too nice!” Adrien yells, pulling at his hair in frustration. 

Ladybug blinks. “Wait, what?”

Chat groans. “She literally always makes sure I’m feeling okay, she fixes my wounds, she feeds me, she lets me hug her, she lets me have sleepovers, she lets me watch TV, she lets me take her out whenever I feel like it, she lets me wake her up at ungodly hours of the night, she pets my hair, she doesn’t let anyone talk shit about me, ever. She even made me a mask to wear when my transformation wore out because she knows I just like spending time with her.”

Ladybug is silent. 

“All I wanted was a friend.”

”Oh Chat,” his partner sighs, “there’s nothing wrong with having a friend—“

”Yes there is,” Adrien snaps, “there is when you want to be more than friends.” The last part comes out desperate and quiet and he can hear the gasp that slips past his lady’s lips.

”You... You have feelings for this civilian?” Ladybug questions, voice barely above a whisper. 

“I-I don’t want to,” he says hoarsely.

”Why not?” 

“She loves someone else,” Chat answers with a sad chuckle. “And, I’m supposed to be in love with you, not her.”

He doesn’t even care that he’s confessed, he’s pretty sure she already knew. And if she didn’t, that’s one less thing to worry about now. 

“Chat,” Ladybug exhales with a sad tone, “you know... I love you too.” 

They both know she doesn’t mean it romantically. It’s a heartbreaking revelation, but one he saw coming.

And, even though she doesn’t mean it the way he wants her too, Adrien leans over and presses his lips desperately against hers anyway. He feels her freeze as soon as his mouth covers hers, a startled gasp drowned by this sudden kiss. He shuts his eyes and tries to convey all of his emotions to her, tries to make her understand how much he loves her, how long he’s loved her, how much he knows he needs to let her go. But, kissing the person you want to move on from is hardly the right choice.

It takes him a second to realize she isn’t kissing him back. Her hands shove him off before he can open his eyes.

”What the hell, Chat?!” 

Adrien blinks quickly, breathing growing rapid as he zeroes in on the tears pricking at her eyes. 

What has he done?

”You just told me you have feelings for this girl you’ve been visiting,” Ladybug says with a displeased look. “Why the hell would you kiss me?”

Chat can hear his breathing in his ears, the ragged sound drowning out so much.

Too much. 

Not enough.

Adrien throws his arms around Ladybug, pulling her close to him like she’s the only thing keeping him tethered to the last bit of his sanity. 

“I can forget about her,” he lies, “I can stop seeing her if you’ll just be with me, please.” Chat’s voice is pleading and desperate and so pathetic he feels like the world is crashing down on him. He doesn’t even know what he’s doing anymore. What is he even saying? Is he even himself?

”What are you saying?” Ladybug whispers in disbelief, “You can’t just forget about people when they mean that much to you, Chat.”

Adrien grips her tighter. 

“She’s nothing to me.” Another lie.

”Chat—“

”I don’t feel anything for her.” A lie.

”Chat—“

”I only love you—“

”Chat Noir!” Ladybug shouts, silencing his lies. “Please just tell me what’s going on with you.”

Adrien is shaking at this point, hands trembling and lips quivering, but he doesn’t want to cry. 

“I don’t want to lose you,” he whispers like a prayer, “but I don’t want to keep you either.”

”Kitty,” she says, “you’re not making any sense.”

Chat feels tears spilling out over his mask and onto the exposed skin of his cheeks. ”I know I never had you Ladybug, no matter how much I wanted you. But, I never thought I’d let you go. And, I’m scared of giving up on you even if I know I’m ready to.”

She gulps. “Why?”

”Because I’m falling out of love for the first time and it’s terrifying,” he admits.

”What are you afraid of?”

”Loving another person who’ll never love me back,” he all but sobs onto her shoulder, unable to hold back any longer.

”You really love this girl, don’t you?” Ladybug asks calmly. 

“You don’t understand,” Chat cries, “I don’t know how I feel and when she smiled at me I just— _I thought I lost you_.”

“Chat,” she whispers, hugging him back. “You’ll never lose me.”

”Even if I love _her_?” 

She leans back to hold his face in her hands, and he stares at the girl he’s starting to let go.

”Go,” Ladybug tells him. “Tell her how you feel, Chat.”

”But she loves someone—“

”You’ll kick yourself if you never tell her, so please, for my sake,” she quietly pleads, “go tell her you love her.”

Chat giver her a sorrowful smile, before pressing a soft kiss to her forehead. 

“Thank you,” he breathes, and then he’s gone, leaving her embrace and running to the only place he wants to be. 

Home.

With her.

It’s time she knows.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I actually felt what Chat was feeling while I was writing. Not that I’ve ever experienced this lol, but hurting him ended up hurting me too. Anyway, LadyNoir or Marichat? And why?


	21. Civilian Has A Day With Chat Noir

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Marinette wins a raffle to spend a day with Chat Noir. Not like Adrien rigged it or anything.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I’m so sorry that I’ve been gone for so long without any updates. School is the worst.

Chat is grinning, bounding across rooftops to get to his favorite balcony on top of his favorite bakery with his favorite civilian—

“Chat Noir!” Marinette yells, startling him enough so he loses his footing and barely has enough time to tumble onto her terrace. He’s pretty sure he knocks over a few plants on his way down.

Suddenly, she’s leaning over his head, glaring at him with those beautiful blue eyes of hers. Adrien finds himself smiling lazily up at her. “Nice to see you too, Mari—“

”What were you thinking?!”

Chat is confused, unsure as to what she could be referring to, but he gives her an answer anyway. “I was thinking that you look radiant on this fine morning.”

And then, a piece of paper is thrust into his face before he can even manage to get up off the ground. 

“CONGRATULATIONS! YOU HAVE WON AN ENTIRE DAY WITH CHAT NOIR, SUPERHERO OF PARIS!” is what the paper reads, and he can’t help the shit-eating grin that forms. Adrien had completely forgotten about the city-wide competition to spend a day with a superhero. Ladybug and him had decided that Chat Noir would be the one out of the two of them that some random civilian would get to spend a day with. He had also forgotten that Marinette entered, and he had... helped her.

“You did this,” Marinette mutters, “didn’t you?” Chat Noir feigns innocence, hand splayed against his chest as he doesn’t make any move to get off the floor.

“Princess,” he scoffs, “do you think I’d stoop so low as to _rig_ a raffle competition for the city?”

”Yes,” she answers, no sign of amusement anywhere on her face.

Adrien will admit, maybe he did enter her name a time or twenty... thousand. But, it’s all for a good reason. This was the perfect opportunity to talk to Marinette alone, especially if she’s supposed to spend an entire day with him. What he’s actually going to _say_ to her is something he has yet to figure out. 

“Fine,” Chat sighs, “maybe I did my best to give you an...  _advantage_ in the raffle.”

”And why would you do that?” Marinette asks, impatiently tapping her foot.

”Isn’t it obvious?” Adrien shrugs. “I wouldn’t want to spend the day with anyone else.”

Her annoyed expression softens, a slight blush on her cheeks. “Really?”

Chat Noir takes that moment to jump up and face her, feeling more confident now that he’s looking down at Marinette and not the other way around. But, then she’s peering up at him through those long long lashes of hers and his knees feel like they’ll give out. He makes himself stand straighter so he won’t fall back down.

“Really,” Adrien gulps, cheeks tinged pink. “You’re the only person I could possibly think of spending 24 hours with.”

Marinette snorts. “Even over Ladybug?”

Chat cringes, memories of last night flooding back to him. The confession, the crying, the _kiss_ that shouldn’t have happened. More importantly, the revelation that from now on, Marinette will  _always_ come before Ladybug.

”No competition there,” he winks at her, watching delightfully as she flushes in front of him.

”I-I thought you were in love with her,” Marinette stutters, unable to meet his curious gaze. 

“And, I thought you loved your mystery boy,” Adrien shoots back.

”I do!” Marinette shouts quickly, making Chat flinch when she does. He wishes he hadn’t said that, because it’s a blatant reminder that he wants to confess to a girl who has her heart set on someone else. His confidence starts slipping, but there’s that sliver of hope that tells him maybe he’s stolen a bit of her heart. Enough to change the way she feels about her unrequited crush.

He steals a glance at her and notices she looks like she also regrets what she said. Goodness, girls are confusing.

”Anyway!” Adrien laughs in a failed attempt to relieve tension. “Shall we get on with our day, Princess?”

Marinette sighs. “Now that I see your intentions were _somewhat_ noble, I suppose we can spend the day together.”

He hears the annoyance in her tone, but her eyes flash with a fondness he notices fairly quickly. It’s enough to make his heart skip a beat. _What was this girl doing to him?_

“Then, hold on,” Chat tells her, wrapping an arm around her waist and pulling her close to him. 

And he looks down to see she’s staring at him with eyes glazed over, like she’s trying to figure something out. So, they stay that way for a few seconds, his hand relaxes on her waist and he doesn’t even realize he’s holding his breath. It’s moments like these that make him wonder why he didn’t fall for her sooner. 

”C-Chat?” Marinette speaks up, forcing him to tear his gaze away from her. 

“Sorry,” he blushes under his mask, “I was thinking.” 

“About what?”

 _About you_.

“About how much fun you’re gonna have today,” Adrien says instead, easing his way back to familiar territory. To friendly teasing, because he doesn’t think he can handle looking into her eyes again. Worst case scenario would be him blurting out how much he loves her while staring at her like a creep.

He expects a sassy remark about him thinking too highly of himself, but he stiffens when she wraps her arms around his neck to secure herself instead.

”I don’t doubt it, Kitty,” she giggles softly, and his head starts to spin. 

He’s so screwed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know it was short, sorry! Hope you liked it though. I am going to continue their day throughout the next chapter using the next prompt :)


	22. Real Marichat

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A boy on a cheese run, a brief interaction between a kwami and a girl, and thoughts that mean more than you’d think.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Plagg and Marinette speaking! I was honestly unsure of how to portray their relationship so... sorry?

“Stop laughing!” Adrien shouts, glaring in frustration at the tiny deity cracking up in front of him. 

“No chance!” Plagg cackles, watching his chosen with an amused expression.

”Do you know how embarrassing that was?” The blonde hisses, “trying to take Marinette exploring only to have _you_ ruin it and interrupt us!”

Plagg narrows his eyes. “It’s not my fault your transformation ran out! I get hungry sometimes, Adrien.”

The model softens. “I guess I haven’t been feeding you as much as I should have, huh?” 

“No dip,” the kwami spits out. “Too wrapped up in your lady troubles to even care about the one thing that gives you your powers.”

”I’m sorry,” Adrien sighs, running a hand through his hair. “We’re lucky Marinette was nice enough to let us duck into the nearest random alley.”

”You can say that again,” Plagg agrees, “now go get some cheese.”

”Me?” 

“Yes, you! Don’t you think you’ve made your girlfriend do enough?”

”She’s not my girlfriend!” Adrien whines.

”You want her to be,” Plagg shoots back, rolling his eyes when his chosen blushes in response. 

“I’ll g-go get the cheese, just tell Marinette I’ll be back soon,” the teenager mutters, making a mad dash out of the secluded alleyway. 

Plagg huffs in annoyance when he sees Adrien trip over his own shoe for a split second before continuing his quick pace towards the nearest store.

”Chat?” 

Plagg whips around to see Marinette with a hand over her eyes, careful not to peek, walking towards him. A wicked grin splits onto the god of destruction’s face. 

“Well well well,” he drawls, “if it isn’t Chat Noir’s favorite civilian.”

”Who’s there?” Marinette asks with fear laced in her voice. “What have you done to Chat?”

”Little Lady without me there wouldn’t _be_ a Chat Noir,” Plagg scoffs, circling around the petite girl.

”Why should I trust you?”

He exhales. Humans are always so difficult, and annoying. He doesn’t understand how Tikki puts up with them half the time. 

“Listen Ladybug, I know Tikki. You can trust me,” he assures her, prompting the superheroine to remove her hand from her eyes, allowing her to see the floating creature in all his glory.

”You’re a kwami!” Marinette shouts, pointing a finger at him in disbelief. 

“Sorry say that again,” Plagg starts, “I don’t think THE REST OF EUROPE heard you!”

The designer winces, clapping a hand over her mouth in embarrassment. She squeaks out an apology, and Plagg holds back his urge to eye-roll.

”He’ll be back,” the kwami says.

”Excuse me?” 

“Chat Noir will be back shortly,” Plagg elaborates, monotone and very much tired of talking at all. 

“Oh, okay,” Marinette nods, biting at her lip and looking down at the ground. He doesn’t know what to make of her behavior. Why is she sad? Is she okay? Was this just a girl thing? What the hell was _he_ supposed to do?

”Why is your face like that?” Plagg asks, and Marinette looks up with an offended frown. “Sorry, I meant why do you look so... sad?”

“Oh, I was just... thinking,” Marinette tells him, fiddling with the strap of her purse. Plagg decides he doesn’t like the sad look on her face. It makes him uneasy, and very very uncomfortable with the situation.  

“Chat really likes you,” he blurts out, hoping he can somehow get her to stop frowning so much like her lips are about to fall off.

”W-What?” Marinette’s face is ladybug red, flaming so much he almost thinks he sees steam. 

 _Great, now I’ve broken her_.

“Uh,” Plagg glances around nervously, “Chat Noir thinks very highly of you.”

”That’s good! I t-think very highly of him... too?” 

He doesn’t know what to say back. So he decides to get himself out of this terribly awkward situation with his chosen’s little girlfriend.

”Why don’t you stay here with your eyes closed... and I’ll stand guard for Ad-uh Chat Noir?” Plagg suggests with a fake smile.

Marinette nods gratefully, slipping her hand back over her eyes. 

The kwami breathes a sigh of relief, ready to fly away to look for Adrien until something inside of him tells him to stay. He pauses for a moment, craning his neck to look at the young girl that Tikki and Master Fu have both trusted.

”Listen, kid or girl,” Plagg sighs with heavy eyes, “Chat Noir likes you a lot... okay? So please don’t hurt him.”

Marinette frowns. “I would never—“

”Not intentionally, sure,” he shrugs, though she can’t see him. “But, you humans, especially teenagers, tend to cause a lot of accidents. And, throwing in these secret identities... things are bound to get messy.”

She opens her mouth to respond, but closes it before giving him a quick nod.

”Thanks,” Plagg says, before zipping out past the corner to see if he can spot a head of blonde hair anywhere. 

And when he sees Adrien sprinting down the sidewalk with a bag in his hand Plagg smiles. Because the universe has granted him a great chosen, and as he steals a glance at Marinette, his chosen has picked a great person too.

He just hopes things end up well.

Because black cats aren’t always so lucky.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Kind of short... my bad. Hope you liked it!


	23. Actual Cat Chat Noir

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Marinette confronts herself about her feelings, and Chat Noir is not making things easy for her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I had something planned for this chapter already so I apologize because it doesn’t relate to the prompt much, but I hope you like it :))

“We’re starting here?” Marinette asks quizzically, scrunching up her nose in confusion. Her legs are dangling, swinging one after the other while she looks out onto the city.

“The Eiffel Tower _is_ one of the most famous sights to see,” Chat shrugs, a mischevious grin on his face. 

“Chat, we _live_ in Paris.”

She watches him frown. “Well, I wish I could whisk you away to somewhere else.” 

Marinette smiles warmly at the superhero. “You’re very sweet, but I just meant that I wasn’t expecting this. Not that it’s a bad thing. The company is more important than the place.”

When he blushes underneath his mask she considers it a win.

”I was actually planning to go here last,” Chat tells her, a far away look in his eyes, “but I’ve got plans for tonight that I’ve been looking forward to for a while.”

Marinette gulps. “Oh?”

She has a gut feeling that she knows what he’s referring to. Possibly the confession that she’d encouraged him to give. The memory of the previous night still makes her wince. Marinette knows she’s an idiot, and an _awful_ friend. She’s in love with Adrien, yet that selfish part of her that’s starting to appreciate Chat wants this admission from him anyway. She’s been fighting with herself, unsure of what she plans to say to reject the poor boy again. Or is she going to reject him at all?

”Princess?” Chat Noir speaks up, and she blinks out of her daze only to realize she’s been staring at him for quite some time now.

”Sorry,” Marinette giggles nervously, “got lost in thought for a little while, what were you saying?”

”That I’ve got big plans for tonight!” Chat says triumphantly, a confident grin on his face. But, Marinette can see the fear and doubt in his eyes. She wonders if he can see it in her eyes too.

”Now you’ve got my interest,” the designer teases, eyes narrowed with a small smirk.

”And here I thought you were always interested in me,” Chat retorts, leaning in to waggle his brows at her.

She responds with a furious blush and a huff of indignance. “Don’t flatter yourself.”

”Princess has her claws out today,” he jokes, making a scratching motion with his own claws. 

Marinette laughs at his antics. “Don’t tell me you’re a real cat now.”

He smirks, shaking his head before nuzzling his nose against her shoulder and pawing at his other ears. “Meow.”

”Oh my goodness,” she giggles, “quit doing that, Kitty! You’re absolutely _crazy_.”

He smiles, but looks down at his feet. And, for a second she swears she hears him mutter that he’s _only_ _crazy about her_. Marinette prays he doesn’t notice the way her breath hitches in her throat, because the blush creeping up on her neck is already nerve wracking enough.

”But, you love me anyway.”

She simply hums in response, something teetering on the edge of confirmation and denial. Marinette doesn’t really know if she can respond to that right now without it sounding wrong.

”Let’s get out of here,” Chat says, changing the subject and offering his hand to the bluenette. 

“So soon?” Marinette asks, still slipping her hand into his anyway.

”We only have twenty-four hours, and I plan to make the most of every minute with you,” he tells her earnestly. Her blush intensifies and she internally curses him for being such a smooth talker. 

“We see each other almost every day,” the baker’s daughter reminds him, more to make herself feel better as opposed to shooting him down.

”But it’s not everyday that a knight gets a full twenty-four hours with a princess,” the teenage boy counters with a wicked grin that sends tingles shooting down her spine and straight to her toes.

Marinette starts to feel her palms sweat and she hopes he can’t feel it through the leather of his suit.

“Smooth-talker,” she murmurs with a twitch of her lips. 

He raises his brows. Then, she yelps when he scoops her up into his arms, ready to leave at any moment. 

“Chat Noir! If people see us—“

”Then they’ll think we’re together?” Chat finishes for her, “let them think what they want, it’s not like it’s true or anything, but... nevermind.”

Marinette shifts in his embrace. “But, what?”

He shoots her a lopsided grin before shaking his head. “We’ll save that for tonight.”

Her heart slams itself against her chest, the pounding so loud she hears the blood rushing to her ears. The notion of _tonight_ enough to give her anxiety for the rest of her life. She starts to question her sanity. But the security that she feels, nestled in his arms is something she knows she could never feel with someone else. No one would ever come close. But, the question is, is she ready to jump into these newfound feelings and thoughts and desires she’s developed? Or is losing Adrien too much to even bear?

Is it worth it?

Marinette can feel herself standing on the edge of that emotional cliff, unsure if she’s going to take the plunge that Chat’s fond looks and sweet smiles are encouraging her to. She knows now, that he feels the same way. Though the way she found out was utterly selfish and deceptive. There’s so much reason not to jump. To stay safe. To stay with Adrien, the boy who never looks at her.

But, Chat Noir is the force that tells her body yes while her mind is saying no.

He grips on to her body tighter, preparing to leave their first stop.

”I’ve got you,” he whispers affectionately into her hair.

And then, he jumps.

And she feels herself on that cliff, slipping off the edge.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Where do you think they’re going next? ;)


	24. Hanahaki Disease

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A brief conversation about unrequited love, and a cat boy losing his nerve.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It has been a long time since I've updated. I sincerely apologize.

He watches her fingers skim the petals of the beautiful flowers before them, her face lighting up with a soft smile he could stare at for hours if she'd let him.

 _Flowers,_ he thinks.

So pretty, and delicate, and inspiring. 

Chat thinks Marinette is a lot like a flower in that sense. Though he doesn't think he can say she's delicate without her wanting to beat him up. So, he tilts his head to the side and watches her enjoy the beauty and simplicity of the plants that surround them on the roof of this floral shop he's never heard of before. Adrien had really only stopped because Marinette had shouted out excitedly when she spotted the bright colors from the top of the Eiffel Tower. He thinks he would do anything to keep her happy, and that is both dangerous and comforting. To know he has someone in his life that means so much to him is a risk and a reward all at once. 

"Have you ever heard of Hanahaki disease?" Marinette suddenly asks, causing him to blink out of his stupor. 

"I can't say that I have," he responds with a thoughtful hum. 

Adrien notices the way her finger lightly traces the inside of a light pink rose, before she starts drawing circles in place.

"It's not a  _real_ disease," she says with a quiet laugh, "which is nice, because if it was I know I'd have it."

Chat is still confused, and when she hears no reply from him she exhales with a slump of her shoulders. "It's this fictional disease that people with unrequited feelings get. Basically what happens is, you start coughing up flower petals because the person you love doesn't love you back. Over time, it gets worse and worse, and physical pain accompanies the flowers, until you just... die."

"That... sounds awful," Adrien whispers, drooping his ears. He glances at Marinette's still fingers that have pulled away from the petals. "I guess we both would have it."

He instantly regrets opening his mouth, because he doesn't want to bring up Ladybug or Marinette's mystery boy when he's trying to tell her that he loves her at some point today. Speaking of, they're starting to lose daylight and he's starting to lose his confidence. Even though Ladybug practically begged him to tell Marinette how he feels, it doesn't make it any less daunting of a task. Chat lets out a soft whine, expressing his frustration as quietly as he can.

Marinette takes that moment to turn her gaze in his direction, locking eyes with him as if trying to convey some sort of silent message, or ask him a question.

"There are ways to cure yourself," her voice seems to get lighter. "If the person you love ends up loving you back, then the coughing will stop. Or you can get surgery to remove it from your body, but... you'll also lose the feelings you have for that person."

Chat tries to imagine his feelings for Ladybug being completely removed from his head and his heart. He wants to say that seems impossible, but then he thinks of Marinette. In a way she is the surgery. Though the feelings for his partner aren't completely gone, she has certainly made it hurt a lot less. But, there's also the scary thought that his princess doesn't feel the same way he does, and he could be trapped in the same situation all over again. Left to cough up the metaphorical flower petals these two girls have left him with. The thought makes him shiver with pure fear.

"Luckily for us, it's not real," Marinette reminds him, reassuring him just slightly, as if she can read his mind.

"Right," Adrien laughs hollowly, "not real."

And, he's not so sure he has the nerve to tell her anymore.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry that it's so short, but I plan to update again soon. Also, the new episode with all that MARICHAT content?! I died!!!


	25. Chat Noir Merch

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Adrien buys his girl some clothes.

“Was this really... _necessary_?” Marinette asks, tugging at the hat rested atop her head.

”Princess,” Chat scoffs, “of course it is! How often do you find this kind of stuff at these low prices?”

She shoots him a flat stare. ”You mean how often do I find _your_ merchandise on sale?” 

He surpresses a squeal.

From the Eiffel Tower, to the flower shop rooftop, to here. How did she get here again?

Oh right. 

After their conversation on the roof, they had decided to venture on with the remaining time they had left. She had expected them to do some more sightseeing, maybe get some food. 

Imagine her surprise when Chat Noir practically screams with delight at the Chat Noir outfit that stands on display in the window for a local thrift shop. He had dragged her in there faster than she could say, “cataclysm”.

Marinette looks down at her feet, taking in the full glory for this ‘Chat Noir’ themed outfit he has just purchased for her. The black boots with green laces, the black skirt that hovers above her knees, and the green sweater that has a paw print front and center, seems to glare back at her. She feels the cat ear beanie slipping off her head again, so she reaches out to tug once more. Marinette attempts to argue with the superhero, intending to explain that this seems a little bit much.

But, when she looks back up, there’s something in his eyes that she’s never really seen before. A different kind of admiration and excitement, as they practically shine like emeralds, the bright lighting of the thrift store they walked into making the brilliant shade of green pop.

Her annoyance melts away in an instant. She can’t possibly be annoyed when he looks so happy. 

“Thank you,” she says instead, “for buying this for me, it was very sweet.”

Chat Noir laughs. “I bought you clothes inspired by me, I’d hardly say that’s the most selfless act. If anything I wanted to thank you.”

”Me?”

”Yes, you. I don’t exactly get to see many people out and about in my themed clothes, as I don’t see many Chat Noir fanatics.”

Marinette frowns. “I’m sure you have a lot of fans, Chat Noir.” 

Her partner nods quickly. “Of course! I love the people of this city, and I am a superhero, after all. But, there tends to be more expressive fans for Ladybug. I mean, people even donate my merchandise to thrift stores because it’s not that popular.”

She wants to protest, but she can’t deny that he’s right. For some reason, the city has always been a bigger fan of Ladybug than Chat Noir, a fact that has always deeply irritated the young girl.

”Well,” Marinette swallows, “they’re all stupid!”

He’s taken aback, eyes going wide at her outburst. 

“You’re the best superhero ever,” she tells him, looking straight into his eyes. “And, don’t ever let anyone tell you otherwise, including yourself.”

Chat smiles back at her softly, his gaze growing warm with affection as he keeps his eyes on her. “And disagree with you? Never.”

Marinette giggles. “Good! Because, I’m your number one fan.” 

The designer proceeds to proudly gesture to her getup, striking overdramatic model poses she’s seen in magazines and TV. Her mind flashes to Adrien oh-so briefly before she forces him out of her brain. Or, tries to anyway.

It’s easier said than done. 

Chat throws his head back with a bark of laughter spilling from his lips, before he takes a step forward to wrap his arms around her in a tight hug. Marinette freezes in his embrace, cheeks flushing and lips curling upward because she can’t hide how much she enjoys the affection.

The twin tailed girl snakes her hands around him as well, resting her chin over his shoulder with a sigh of contentment. Chat is warm and comforting and familiar, and he’s like her own personal safe haven. Though, she can’t lie and say her heart isn’t rapidly beating in her chest at the same time. 

She hates herself for thinking this, but Adrien suddenly seems much easier to forget. 

Or... maybe it’s just these moments with Chat Noir that she really wants to remember. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> a quick little cute moment before we get back on track to Chat’s big plans...


	26. Midnight Serenades

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Confession. It’s happening one way or another. Maybe they don’t have to say anything at all.

“Oh darn,” Marinette says, “looks like we’ve only got a few hours left until my day with Chat Noir is officially over.”

Adrien tenses, the implications of time running out meaning he has to say something. Soon. So, he clears his throat and stands up from the bench they’re sitting on. 

“Why don’t we continue this somewhere else?” Chat suggests, offering a hand out to the baker’s daughter. 

With a smirk, she slips her hand into his, but he pulls her forward and holds her close. They’re pressed against each other in a way that forces them to look straight ahead at their faces. He’s delighted when he sees she’s still smiling, only this time her cheeks are tinted pink from their lack of space. 

He uses another hand to pull out his baton, extending it so that both him and Marinette spring up into the air. Adrien glances down to see she’s trying to keep a brave face on, but the way her arms tighten around his body give away that even the fearless get a little scared every now and then.

”Where are we going?” Marinette asks, the wind blowing her bangs away from her face. 

“Back to the beginning,” he answers, before they suddenly land on her balcony with a resounding thud.

Chat relishes in the way she still clings to him even after they’ve landed, right until she jumps away with a squeak and a red face that makes his heart sing.

”So,” she drawls, obviously trying to change the subject, “my balcony is the beginning?”

Adrien ducks his head with a blush. “In a way... it’s the beginning of something.”

Marinette shoots him a quizzical look. But, Chat knows exactly what he’s talking about. It’s the beginning of their relationship, albeit a platonic one thus far. The moment where he got stood up by Ladybug and stumbled upon a girl just as heartbroken and lonely as he was.

In hindsight, it was possibly the best moment of his life.

The girl in front of him purses her lips. ”You’re being awfully vague, Chat Noir.”

”I have to keep the mysterious appeal somehow,” he teases. 

He watches her scoff. “I’m pretty sure I know everything there is to know about you, Minou.”

“Not everything,” Adrien hurriedly responds. 

She goes silent at that, awkward tension filling the space between them. Tension he wants so desperately to go away. But, his tongue feels so heavy in his mouth. Marinette looks nervously at the ground, fingers tugging at the sleeves of her sweater. 

He has plans. 

He needs to tell her. 

But, how?

Maybe she can feel something coming. Maybe, she’s already decided that she is going to turn him down just like Ladybug. Maybe, that’s why she’s silently standing a foot away from him. Maybe he’s just a big coward who can’t tell another girl how he feels because he can’t habdle the hurt that comes with rejection. Adrien can feel himself getting frustrated with every silent second. 

Chat slowly opens his mouth, but nothing comes out. Why won’t anythjng come out? God, she must think something is terribly wrong with him. Something _is_ wrong with him. 

Say something.

Say anything. 

 _I can’t!_ He thinks.

His stomach feels like a million akumas are wreaking havoc inside of him, destroying the last shred of confidence he has.

Adrien can’t do it.

He just can’t. 

Why can’t he just tell her?

It’s three words. 

But, these words could make or break his life and heart and mental stability—

Is that... singing?

He looks up at Marinette, surprised to hear her humming a familiar tune to herself. Chat is about to ask her what she’s humming, until she opens her mouth and words start coming out. 

“Well, I know it's kind of late. I hope I didn't wake you. But, what I got to say can't wait. I know you'd understand,” she sings the words softly, but loud enough for him to understand every single word.

Chat tenses when Marinette suddenly reaches a hand out to stroke his hair.

“Every time I tried to tell you, the words just came out wrong... “

Marinette’s voice is angelic, lulling him into a dreamlike haze he will happily stay in forever if she keeps on going. Her hand trails down to gently trace the lines of his cheek. And, his heartbeat picks up when he registers the lyrics she’s singing.

“So, I'll have to say... _I love you_ in a song,” the last few words come out awkward and desperate, but he can’t help the wide grin that spreads across his face. Adrien can’t believe what he’s hearing. From the look in her eyes he can tell she isn’t just singing a song, she’s sending him a message. A message that has made him the happiest boy in all of Paris.

Of course Marinette beat him to the punch, he expects nothing less from this amazing, wonderful girl. And, to other people watching them, it might have seemed like an awfully rushed confession that had no discussion prior. But, he knows that things don’t have to be said between them in order for the pair to understand. Maybe she’s always known how he feels, and maybe she’s felt the same way for as long as he has. Adrien thinks the tension has been leading them to this inevitable moment, and his mind isn’t still reeling at the fact that she loves him too. He wonders when they both knew. No matter what the case may be... the way things just happened feels right to him.

“My dad used to sing that song to my mom when they would slow dance in the kitchen,” he hears her speak up, starting to pull her hand away from his face. It suddenly sounds like she’s embarrassed. “I’m not sure if you’re familiar with it, or if you even relate to the feelings in the song like I do—“

Chat grabs her wrist before she can get too far away from him. He mentally slaps himself because he realizes she just confessed and he hasn’t even responded yet. Of course he relates to the feelings of the song, more than she does probably. Adrien has been trying to find a way to tell her, and he planned to give an elaborate romantic speech about how she was the best thing that ever happened to him. But, obviously his bad luck caught up with him and so did his nerves. 

“Chat?” Marinette meekly calls.

The superhero locks eyes with his classmate, his stare seeming to trap them both in this position, his hand still wrapped around her small wrist. 

With this newfound confidence her declaration of love has given him, Chat Noir opens his mouth, and sings. “Yeah, I know it's kind of strange. Every time I'm near you, I just run out of things to say. I know you'd understand.”

He sees the relived smile that appears on Marinette’s features, and he reaches out for her other hand with his free one, holding both her hands in his, raising them up in between the two of them.

“Every time I tried to tell you, the words just came out wrong,” he sings, before resting his forehead against hers.

Then, he presses his lips to her cheek in a chaste kiss that leaves him tingling with desire for more.

As he pulls away, his mouth hovers over the shell of her ear. “So, I’ll have to say _I_ _love you, Marinette_ , in a song.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> “I’ll have to say I love you in a song” by Jim Croce.


	27. Sin

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> not very sinful bc of their current ages in this universe

“Say it again,” he commands, eyes locked with hers in a staring contest. Marinette leans back against her pillow, Chat’s lithe body hovering above her.

”And if I don’t?” 

The superhero’s eyes narrow, flashing with something that isn’t quite so innocent. Slowly, his hand inches up her side, feather light touches making her shiver instantly. 

“Then, I’ll have to change tactics,” he replies, tongue swiping across his bottom lip. Marinette is lying if she says her eyes didn’t snap down towards the small action, gaze lingering on his mouth for a second too long.

”Do your worst,” her voice challenges him, it’s strong and steady, showing no signs of fear anywhere in her tone—

Marinette shrieks. “Okay! Hah! Stop, wait, you know I’m super ticklish there, please don’t—Haha!” 

“Then say it, Princess!” Chat demands again, fingers furiously poking and prodding at her ribs as she doubles over with laughter.

”Fine! I love you!” Marinette shouts, mixed in with squeals and giggles. 

His tickling ceases, and he gets off of her with a smug look on his face. “Now, was that really so hard?”

”That’s not fair,” she pouts, “you were playing dirty.”

Chat raises a brow. “That was far from _dirty_ , Princess. But, if you want... I can always tap into the more rebellious side of Chat Noir.”

Her face heats up within a second, a warmth blooming in her chest and her lower abdomen. She’s not sure what he’s implying, but she mentally chides herself for instantly thinking he means dirty in the... physical kind of way. Marinette is embarrassed to admit these kinds of things to herself, but she’s a teenage girl who has certainly thought of doing some slightly inappropriate things with her very attractive friend.

”I’m just teasing you,” he quickly assures her, as if he can read her mind and feel her embarrassment. “I would never pressure you into anything that you feel uncomfortable with, Marinette.”

Her heart really melts. And it’s like he suddenly gets ten times more attractive because of one sentence.

“Wow, I can’t believe you love me,” she chuckles, laughing harder when he pouts. 

“Who wouldn’t love you? If anything, I can’t believe you love me.” 

She laughs even harder. “I can’t believe we love each other!” 

Chat furrows his brow. “Um... in a good way or a bad—“

Marinette flings herself into his arms, wrapping her own around his neck and burying her nose in his shoulder. The scent of the leather of his suit reaches her nose and she smiles. 

“In the best way possible. I love you, Chat Noir.”

She hears him suck in a breath, before hugging her back tightly like he never wants to let go. Like he can’t believe this isn’t some dream he’s going to wake up from at any moment. 

“I love you too. So much, Marinette,” Chat whispers like he’s pleading. 

She pulls back, face a few inches from his before flashing her widest smile. “You’re cute, you know that?” 

The superhero blushes, before smiling to himself bigger than she’s ever seen him smile. “And you’re beautiful.”

She feels the heat inside her chest again, the air suddenly charged with something that’s setting her skin on fire. And, with the lack of space between them, she knows how easy it would be to just lean in and kiss him. 

So she does. 

And it’s glorious. 

He widens his eyes in surprise, and that’s the last thing she sees before she’s pressing her lips harder against his and inching her hands into his hair. And she thinks nothing could feel better than this until he kisses her back. Marinette’s mouth slides off of his lips and her teeth clack against his for a second, but she pulls away and giggles for a millisecond before he captures her lips with his own again, effectively shutting her up. 

Her fingers grasp for blonde strands and she’s pulling him closer, impossibly close, while he obeys and cooperates to her every whim. She’s kissed him before, as Ladybug. But, not like this. And now she wonders why she hadn’t done this sooner because his lips are soft and warm and they make her feel numb.  

When Marinette runs out of air and pulls away gasping. And she grins to herself when she looks upon his kiss swollen lips and mussed up hair. 

He looks satisfied, and that makes her happy. She takes a second to breathe and calm down before her hormones take her too far. 

And then, she pecks him on the lips and thanks her lucky stars that she loves him and he loves her back.


	28. Hostage Situation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> short and fluffy. trying to finish the calendar.

“Is this some type of fetish?” Chat hears Marinette say, her voice teasing and her grin merciless. 

His face heats up instantly, and he wonders why she’s so good at making him flustered. Maybe it’s because she’s never like this with Adrien. 

“N-No!” Adrien yells, stuttering and blushing and dying on the inside. 

“Then... why exactly are you tying me up?”

“Self-defense is a serious matter,” he huffs, “and if anyone were ever to kidnap you I just want to make sure you know how get yourself out of a hostage situation.”

”Oh, so you’re a kidnapper now?” Marinette asks. “Kinky.”

He shoots her a frustrated pout. “Look, dating a superhero is dangerous. I just want to cover all my bases.”

His girlfriend rolls her eyes. ”Chat, nothing is going to happen to me.”

Adrien clenches his fists before letting go of the rope he had wrapped around her wrists. “You can’t know that for sure. People get hurt because of Hawkmoth all the time whether or not they think it’s going to happen. You mean way too much to me for me to let anything bad happen to you, Marinette.”

Her expression seems to soften before she lets out a sigh. “Okay, if it’ll make you feel better. Tie me up, Chat Noir.”

Chat suddenly snickers. “I didn’t know you had a kink for this kind of stuff, Marinette.” 

“Oh screw you!”


	29. “Contrary to popular beliefs, I’m actually a dog person.”

“Contrary to popular beliefs, I’m actually a dog person,” he shrugs, like it’s no big deal. And, to him, it really isn’t. 

“No way,” Marinette gapes, eyes widened in shock. 

“Yeah,” he says plainly. 

“But, your entire superhero outfit is cat themed!” Marinette argues. 

Adrien smirks. “I know this leather looks good, but believe me when I say I would’ve rather had a wolf themed miraculous or something like that.” 

“But, you make cat puns all the time and you literally act like a cat!” 

Chat Noir mulls this over. “Well, if I’m stuck like this I might as well embrace it, you know? And the purring is a side effect that I can’t really control.”

”The more you know,” his girlfriend mutters, and Adrien smiles at how cute she looks when she’s confused. 

He sidles up next to her and leans his head on her shoulder. “I know that you’re definitely a cat person though...”

Her hand reaches up to scratch his ears. “Oh silly kitty... that’s what you think.”

”What?”

”What?”

”You’re a dog person too?” Adrien asks. 

“I never said that,” she answers. 

“Okay, but if you’re not a dog person and you’re not a cat person... then what?”

”Hamsters for the win,” she says simply, and he can’t help laughing in response. 

“You know I’m actually not surprised,” Adrien chuckles, nuzzling his nose in her hair. “You would choose something cute like you.” 

Marinette scoffs. “Your flirting consists of comparing me to a hamster now?” 

“You’re the one who likes them!” Chat shoots back. 

“Sure, but I don’t want someone to tell me I look like one!”

“I mean it in the best way possible,” he assures her, and they both laugh. 

“You want the truth?” Marinette whispers.

He straightens his back and turns to look at her with curiosity gleaming in his eyes. “Of course.” 

“I think... I’m a Chat Noir person,” she admits with a shy smile. 

Chat Noir feels his heart swell and he leans in to press a sloppy kiss to her cheek that makes her squeal. 

“Forget everything, I will forever be a Marinette person til the day I die!” Adrien proclaims, pressing kisses all over her face while she giggles and shrieks. 

“You’re a world class flirt,” he hears her groan, but there’s laughter mixed in that gives away how she really feels. 

He backs away from her and notices how red her cheeks are from laughing. She looks adorable with bright eyes and a pink face and a smile that makes him happy just from looking at it. 

“I love you,” he tells her.

She places a finger on his nose. “I love you too.”


	30. Mari!Burglar & Chat!Vigilante

“Oh come _on_ ,” he whines, “that is so not fair!”

Marinette turns her head to look at him, an innocent smile playing at her lips. ”What could you possibly be talking about, Chat Noir?” 

Adrien folds his arms across his chest and groans. “You really think you can just wear _that_ and I’ll be totally fine?”

He’s referring to the black shorts she’s wearing, along with the tight black lace top, and the cat headband she has nestled in her hair. There’s a makeshift mask splayed across her face that makes her blue eyes stand out even more. 

“Oh my god, you’re a _cat_ burglar too?” Adrien complains. “You’re a walking pun wearing tight black clothes, resembling my outfit and you think that’s okay?” 

“I missed you,” Marinette shrugs, bending over to pick up loose scraps of fabric off her bedroom floor. And, Adrien has to turn his head quickly to avoid the temptation of looking at her backside.

”So. Not. Fair.” Chat Noir mumbles angrily. “I’m sorry I’ve been really busy lately, Princess.”

”Hm, are you? I haven’t seen you in four days,” she reminds him, and when he notices she’s wearing green paw print earring he feels like passing out.

”Let me make it up to you,” he says, and her interest is peaked when she stares curiously back at him. “Come with me.”

She grins before taking the hand he’s offered her, and he guides them up to her balcony. He pulls her close to his side and uses his baton to spring them across rooftops before he settles on a random one that’s relatively far from her house. 

“What are we doing?” Marinette asks. 

“With that getup, why you could be Chat Noire,” he jokes, and she can’t help the smile that stretches onto her face.

”You’re the hero though... so why don’t I be the villain?” Marinette suggests instead, and he doesn’t want to to tell his girlfriend that the thought of this weird role play thing kind of excites him. 

Not... in a weird way. Is there even a way where this is not weird? 

“Being a hero is boring,” he pouts, and she rolls her eyes at her boyfriend’s antics. 

“Fine, I’ll be a burglar and you’ll be... a vigilante. Deal?” 

His grin is suddenly wicked. “Deal.”

”So what should I do?” Marinette questions, casually stepping away from him as if she can feel what’s about to happen already.

His eyes flash with mischief. 

“Run.”


	31. Reincarnation

“Hey Ladybug?” Chat asks her one day after patrol. 

“Yeah?”

”Do you believe in reincarnation?” 

“Hm, I-I don't know.” Ladybug says honestly. “Why?”

”Sometimes I think about it... and if it’s true I always hope that my next life will have Marinette in it. Even if it’s her next life too.” 

Marinette blushes under her mask. 

“You really love her,” she states. 

“More than anything.”

 

* * *

 

“Hey Marinette?” Chat questions one day while they’re cuddled up on her balcony.

”Hm?” 

“Do you believe in reincarnation?”

”I’m not sure,” she says, just like she had when he’d asked Ladybug. “But, I hope I see you in the next life if it is true.”

She feels a little guilty for using his words to pander to him, but he smiles so wide her regret fades away.

“I love you,” he whispers into her ear with a grin.

”I love you too. More than anything.”

 

* * *

 

“Hey Marinette?” Adrien inquires after school on the steps. 

“Huh?”

”Do you believe in reincarnation?” 

She freezes. Her brain stops working and she swears she can see a mask over Adrien’s eyes before she blinks twice and it’s gone. 

There’s... no way. 

“What did you just ask me?”

Adrien looks scared. “Do you... believe in reincarnation?”

Suddenly the tone of his voice, the color of his hair, his eyes, his build, just him. It all makes sense and she can’t belive she’s been so blind this entire time.

Marinette laughs and decides she’s going to let him know she understands. 

“I love you. More than anything!” Marinette yells practically hysterical with happiness and shock. 

Her boyfriend grins and laughs with her when she can’t stop herself from chuckling. 

“Guess what?” Marinette says with a smirk. 

“What?”

”I know you want to see me in your next life, even if it’s my next life too.”

And now it’s his turn to freeze.

“Ladybug?”

”Surprise?” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks so much for sticking with this story despite how incredibly bad I was at keeping up. I’ll probably fall behind again rip. But, I hope you enjoyed this Marichat journey as much I did. Can’t wait for May!


End file.
